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TEST  TARGET  (MT  3) 


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Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

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(/a 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  canadien  de  microreproductions  historiques 


O^ 


!^> 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


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D 


n 


n 


n 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


I      I    Covers  damaged/ 


Couverture  endommagde 


Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
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Cover  title  missing/ 

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distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  intdrieure 


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The 
to  t 


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I      I    Coloured  pages/ 


D 


-/ 


D 
D 


Pages  de  couleur 

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The 
pos 
oft 
filnr 


Orij 
beg 
the 
sioi 
oth 
firs 
sioi 
or  i 


Th€ 
sha 

Tm 

wh 

Ma 
diff 
ent 
beg 
rigt 
req 
me 


n 


Additional  comments:/ 
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Ce  document  est  film6  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqud  ci-dessous. 


10X 

14X 

18X 

22X 

26X 

30X 

y 

12X 


16X 


20X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


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empreinte. 


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TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END  "). 
whichever  applies. 


Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaTtra  sur  la 
dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  — ♦■  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbole  V  signifie  "FIN". 


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method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  dtre 
film^s  d  des  taux  de  reduction  diffdrents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  cliche,  il  est  film6  d  partir 
de  I'angie  supdrieur  gauche,  de  gauche  d  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  n^cessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mdthode. 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

S 

6 

Ca 


Oy-^' 


DOWN   THE  RIVER  TO 
THE  SEA 


BY 

MISS  MACHAR 


P 


NEW  YORK 

HOME    BOOK   COMPANY 
45  Vesey  Street 


/ff^. 


C»PYRlCillTI£U,    iSo}, 

BY 

HOME  BOOK  COMPANY 


DOWN  THE  RIVER  TO  THE  SEA. 


CIIAJ^TER  I. 


NIAGARA. 


The  brilliant  sunshine  of  a  July  day 
lighted  up  the  great  cataract  and  tlie  rich 
verdure  of  the  surrounding  landscape, 
bringing  out  all  the  wonderful  variety  of 
'  hue  in  the  surging  mass  of  falling  water, 
the  snowy  clouds  that  perpetually  veiled 
and  iniveiled  it,  the  iridescence  that  floated 
elusively  amid  their  ever-shifting  billows, 
and  the  deep  emerald  of  the  islands  that 
nestled  so  confidingly  among  the  foaming, 
seething  rajiids  that  swept  down  the  slope 
above,  in  order  to  take  the  fatal  leap.  The 
Clifton  House  veranda  had  its  usual  com[)le- 
ment  of  loungjing  groups  tf  guests,  most  of 
them  so  absorbed  in  gossip,  flirting,  or  the 


6 


§own  ihc  %xvcv  io  the  ^e«. 


last:  sensationiil  novel,  that  lliey  scarcely 
seemed  to  notice  the  grandeur  of  the  scene 
they  had  come  so  far  to  enjoy.  Of  a  very 
different  class  of  visitors  was  jNIay  Thor- 
burn,  wlio  sat  silently  in  a  vacant  coriur  o! 
the  wide  veranda,  gazin^^  at  the  ceaseless 
rush  of  the  Ilorse-shoe  I'all,  in  a  speechless 
ecstasy  of  delight.  The  hrown-haiivd, 
brown-eyed,  rather  pale  girl,  who  sat  so 
absorbed  in  the  wonderful  grandcnir  of  the 
scene  before  her,  was  not  quite  sure  whether 
she  was  the  saino  INFay  Thorburn,  who,  oidy 
a  fiiw  days  before,  had  l.'ccn  all  engrossed  in 
the  usual  endless  round  of  homo  duties, 
sweeping,  dusting,  or  stitching  away  at  tlx^ 
family  mending  (and  how  mucli  mending 
t/n/t  fan^ily  needed!),  and  trying  to  squeeze 
in,  between  these  homely  avocations,  a  little 
of  the  poetry  and  nnisic  in  which  her  soul 
delighted.  And  now,  hero  she  was,  in  the 
midst  of  Nature's  grandest  poetry  and  nni- 
sic, realizing  Avhat  had  been  the  day-dream 
of  years !  And  all  this  wonderful  hapi)i- 
ness  had  come  about  through  the  thoughtful 
kindness  of  her  cousin,  Kate  Severne,  in 
inviting  her  to  share  the  delights  of  a  trip 
all  the  way  from  Niagara  to  the  Saguenay — 


^ttvcn  the  S»vfr  to  the  ^tn. 


names  thiit  had  so  lonj^  stood  in  her  mind 
as  eciuivalents  for  the  j^ivatest  enjoyment 
tliatany  tourist  could  hojie  for — at  least  out- 
side of  Mont  lUanc. 

She  had  come  by  way  of  Hamilton,  and 
as  the  trahi  swept  her  rapidly  through  the 
region  of  peach  orchards,  her  mind  was  full 
of  vague  anticipations  of  the  delights  of  the 
prospective  journey,  with  occasional  si)ecu- 
lations  as  to  Kate's  two  Scotch  cousins, 
Hugh  and  Flora  ]\hicnal),  whose  visit  to 
Canada  was  tlie  immediate  occasion  of  this 
present  trip.  Kate,  who  had  repeatedly 
gone  over  the  whole  ground  h'jfore,  and 
knew  it  well,  wished  to  act  the  part  of 
cicerone  herself,  while  her  kind,  though 
somewhat  peculiar  aunt,  ]Mrs.  Sandford,  was 
the  chapcrone  of  the  little  party.  It  had 
been  the  thoughtful  suggestion  of  this  aunt 
that  May,  who  so  seldom  had  a  lK)liday, 
should  be  invited  to  join  them,  a  suggestion 
which  Kate  had  gladly  carried  out,  in  the 
kind  and  welcome  letter  of  invitation  which 
had  put  IMay  into  such  a  little  flurry  of  de- 
lightful excitement  and  preparation. 

The  rest  of  the  party  had  arrived  before 
May ;  and  her  cousin  Kate  had  met  her  at 


goutt  the  ilivcr  ta  the  ^ca. 


tho  riiftoii  House;  stution  with  an  enUiusi- 
Jistic  weU'oiiKi  uiul  a  torrent  of  information 
as  to  their  future  i)lans,  scareely  half  of 
which  May  eould  take  in,  hein^i;'  (juite  hai)})y 
enougii  in  the  sense  of  hv'm^  ndUy  at  the 
I^\ills  fit  hist,  and  of  getting  lun*  lirst  glimpse 
of  them.  She  only  vjiguely  lieard,  in  an 
unreal  sort  of  way,  Kate's  eager  account  of 
her  cousins — how  "nice"  andamiahle  Flora 
was,  and  how  well  she  could  sketch;  and 
how  llngh,  though  very  quiet,  was  very 
clever,  too, — had  taken  honoi-s  jit  college, 
had  somewhat  injured  his  health  b}'  over- 
study,  so  that  he  was  obliged  to  take  a  rest, 
and  had  even  written  a  little  book  of  i)oems 
which  was  soon  to  be  published, — indeed, 
was  now  in  the  press.  "And  T  shouldn't 
wonder  if  he  were  to  write  another  about 
his  travels  here,  and  put  us  all  into  it,"  she 
added. 

IVIay  had  no  particular  desire  to  "  be  put 
into  a  book,"  but,  just  then,  the  interest  of 
the  scene  before  her,  with  the  thunder  of 
"many  waters"  in  her  ears,  was  strong 
enough  to  exclude  all  other  ideas.  ITer 
eager,  Watching  eye  just  caught  a  glimpse 
of  what  sei'med  a  giant's  caldron  of  milky 


|iatt*n  the  ^Rivcr  U  the  %t\\. 


9 


spray,  {iiid  bohiiul  it  ;i  (Inzzlinp^  sheet  of 
snow ;  but  licr  cousin  hurricid  her  on  into  the 
hold  and  up  to  hiT  room,  which,  to  her  de- 
hf^Mit,  eoiinuiindcd  a  si)k'ndid  view  of  the 
Ilorse-slioe  Fall,  on  which  she  could  fi^ast 
her  eyes  at  leisure  to  her  heart's  content. 
And  now,  indeed,  anticipation  an<l  faith 
were  swallowed  up  in  sight!  She  had,  of 
course,  frequently  seen  photographs  of  the 
great  cataract,  so  that  the  outlines  of  the 
vi(!W  were  familiar  enough;  hut  the  ex(iui- 
site  coloring,  the  ceaseless  motion,  tlu^  sense 
of  infinite  power,  no  picture  (;ould  possibly 
supi>ly.  As  she  hiy  dreamily  back  in  a 
loiuiging  chair,  on  the  veranda,  scarcely 
conscious  of  anytlujig  but  th(;  gi-andeur  of 
the  scene,  a  line  or  two  from  Wordsworth's 
"  Yarrow  Visited"  llitted  across  her  nnnd  : 

"  this  is  the  BCXi'ne 


Of  whicli  my  fancy  chorishod 
So  faitlifully  a  waking  drnini  ! "' 


"Xo!"  she  mentally  decided,  "no 'wak- 
ing dream  '  could  picture  Niagara." 

"Well,  dreaming  as  usual?"  May  looked 
up  with  a  start,  as  she  felt  ^Irs.  Sandfoid's 
plump  hand  on  her  shoulder.     "  Kate  wants 


10 


Jautt  the  ^xvtx  ia  the  ^ta. 


I    ii! 


you  to  miik(i  hiisto  and  get  ready  for  an  ex- 
pedition. Here  are  the  Scotch  cousms. 
This  is  I^'lora,  and  this  is  her  l)rother  Hugh. 
Yoir  don't  need  ;iny  forinid  introduction. 
Kiito  will  be  down  in  a  moment,  and  you 
are  all  going  for  a  long  stroll,  she  says,  for 
which  I  don't  feel  ([uite  eciual  yet  after  my 
journey,  though  it  is  a  charming  after- 
noon ;  so  I  shall  stay  hero  and  rest.  Kate 
has  promised  me  not  to  let  you  run  into  any 
sort  of  danger,  and  I  am  sure  you'll  find 
her  a  capital  cicero?iry 

Kate,  who  appeared  just  then,  renewed 
her  promise  to  bo  most  prudent,  and  espe- 
cially to  look  after  her  cousin  Hugh — h(;r 
aunt's  chief  object  of  anxiety.  "And,  in- 
deed, you  need  taking  care  of,"  she  said,  in 
answer  to  his  attempted  disclaimer.  "  You 
know  you're  under  orders  not  to  overwalk 
yourself,  or  get  heated  or  chilled,  so  mind, 
Kate,  you  doit''t  let  hhn.  I  don't  want  to 
have  to  stop  on  the  way  to  nurse  an  in- 
valid ! " 

"I  don't  think  you  need  be  at  all  afraid, 
Aiuit  Bella,"  the  young  man  replied,  with 
what  jNIay  thought  a  pleasant  touch  of  Scot- 
tish accent,  though  his  pale  face  had  flushed 


Jou'u  the  Oliver  io  the  ^cu. 


11 


ji  little  5it  llio  jillusion  to  his  semi-invalid- 
ism,  wliii'h  liiul  been  tho  iininwliiitc  ciiuse  of 
his  journey  to  ('iiiiiulii.  His  sister  I'Moni, 
however,  with  her  JilmiHhint  fair  hair, 
which,  like  her  brother's,  just  missed  beiii«^ 
Yi'.d,  looked  the  picture  of  health  and  youth- 
ful energy. 

]May,  with  her  straw  hat  beside  her,  need- 
ed no  further  i)reparation  for  the  exi)edition, 
on  which  she  was,  indeed,  impatient  to  set 
out  at  once,  Kate,  to  her  relief,  leading  tho 
way  with  ^Ir.  Hugh  iMacnab,  who  was  not 
her  cousin,  and  it  di<l  not  seem  to  her  that 
she  could  find  anything  to  say  to  any  one 
so  learned  and  clever  as  this  quiet-looking 
young  man  must  be.  It  seemed  mucli 
easier  to  talk  to  tho  frank  and  merry  Flora, 
who  tii[)ped  on  by  her  sid(»,  looking  very 
fresh  and  trim  and  tourist-like,  in  her  plain 
gi'ay  tra.veling  hat  and  gra}''  tweed  dress, 
made  as  short  as  a  sensible  fashion  wouhl 
allow,  and  sliowing  off  to  perfection  a  lithe, 
well-rounded  figure  and  a  pair  of  shapely 
and  vciy  capable  feet.  The  party  entered 
what  is  now  called  Victoria  Park,  and 
walked  leisurely  along  the  brink  of  the  pre- 
cipitous  c;lilt'  that  here   formed  the   river 


Ill" 

III 


12 


|l0Wtt  the  ^xvtv  io  i\xt  ^ea. 


bank,  stopping  at  frequent  intervals  the 
better  to  take  in  some  particular  aspect  of 
the  wonderful  scene  before  them. 

"  That's  the  advantage  of  not  taking  a  car- 
riage, Acre,"  explained  Kate,  v/lio  had  re- 
lentlessly refused  all  the  entreaties  of  the 
hackmen.  "  It's  ever  so  much  nicer  to  go  on 
your  own  feet,  and  stop  just  where  you 
please,  and  as  long  as  you  please !  We  don't 
want  to  hurry  here.  It's  a  charming  walk, 
now  that  all  the  old  photographic  saloons 
and  so-called  museums  have  been  cleared 
away!  By  and  by,  when  we  feel  a  lillle 
tired,  we  can  take  a  carriage  for  the  rest  of 
the  way." 

May  soon  felt  the  dreamlike  sensation 
come  over  her  again,  as  they  wandered 
slowly  along  the  steep  cliffs  of  shade,  and 
came  fn)in  time  to  time  on  some  specially 
charming  view  of  the  white  foaming  sheet 
of  the  American  Falls,  so  dazzlingly  pure  in 
its  virgin  beauty,  as  it  vaults  over  the  hol- 
low cliff  into  the  soft  veil  of  mist  that  per- 
petually rises  about  its  feet — always  dis- 
persing and  ever  rising  anew.  Then,  as 
their  eager  gaze  followed  the  line  of  tlie  op- 
posite bank,  black,  jagged  and  shining  with 


§0vcn  the  '^ivtv  U  the  ^ea. 


13 


its  perpetual  shower-bath  of  spray,  what  a 
glorious  revelation  of  almost  infinite  grand- 
eur was  that'  curving,  quivering  sheet  of 
thundering  surge,  with  its  heart  of  purest 
green,  and  its  mighty  masses  of  dazzling 
foam,  and  its  ascending  clouds  of  milky 
spray, — sometimes  entirely  oljscuring  the 
fall  itself,  as  they  float  across  the  boiling 
caldron, — sometimes  partially  dispersed  and 
spanned  by  the  sof  t-hued  arc,  which  here,  as 
at  the  close  of  the  thunder-storm,  seems  like 
the  tender  kiss  of  love,  hushing  the  wild 
tumult  into  peace.  From  many  other 
l^oints  she  could  get  better  views  of  indi- 
vidual details,  but  no  nobler  view  of  the 
mighty  whole,  than  from  this  silent,  never- 
to-be-forgotten  ramble.  No  one  said  much ; 
even  the  lively  Kate  lapsed  from  her  office 
of  cicerone^  or,  rather,  best  fulfilled  it,  by 
her  silence ;  for,  when  the  infinite  in  Xature 
speaks,  the  human  voice  may  well  be  still. 
And  how  grand  a  voice  was  that  which  the 
cataract  was  speaking, — even  to  the  outward 
car !  The  "  voice  of  many  waters  " — mighty 
as  thunder,  yet  soft  as  a  summer  breeze — 
seemed  to  leave  the  whole  being  immersed 
and  absorbed  in  the  ceaseless  rush  and  roar 


ii 


i^  ^own  the  '^ivtv  to  the  j5ea. 


■iii 


of  the  "  Thunder  of  Waters  " — the  majesty 
of  whose  motion  appeared  to  be,  itself, 
repose. 

This  feeling  deepened  as  they  advanced 
nearer  to  the  edge  of  the  Ilorse-shoe  Falls. 
They  i)aused  on  Table  Kock,  so  much  less 
prominent  than  it  used  to  be  years  ago. 
At  every  turn  they  paused,  lost  in  the  grand- 
eur of  the  present  impression.  It  was 
Kate  who  first  roused  them  to  a  sense  of  the 
passage  of  time,  and  gave  the  order  to  pro- 
ceed, for  the  afternoon  was  swiftly  gliding 

by. 

"  Well!  "  said  Hugh,  "  I  never  felt  as  if  I 
had  got  so  near  the  state  of  self-annihila- 
tion, the  ^Nirvana''  we  read  about.  I 
don't  wonder  at  suicides  here,  under  the 
fascinating  influence  of  these  rushing 
waters ! " 

"  Really,  Hugh,"  exclaimed  his  sister,  "  I 
should  scarcely  have  expected  to  hear  you 
rhapsodizing  at  such  a  rate !  We  shall  have 
to  look  after  him,  Kate."  Hugh  replied 
only  by  a  half  smile,  but  May  noticed  his 
heightened  color  and  the  absorbed  expres- 
sion of  his  dark  blue  eyes,  and  began  to  feel 
much  less  shy  of  him.    She  had  much  the 


gown  the  ^ivtx  to  the  ^t^. 


15 


same  feeling  herself,  though  too  reserved  to 
say  it  out. 

Kate  hurried  them  on,  until  they  had 
reached  the  v^ery  edge  of  the  great  Horse- 
shoe Fall.  Here  they  stopped  and  sat  down 
on  a  long  black  beam  of  timber  that  lay  on 
the  side  of  the  quivering  toi-rent,  there  seem- 
ing almost  stationary,  as  if  pausing  in  awe 
of  the  mighty  leap  before  it.  Just  inside 
the  old  beam  lay  a  quiet  pool,  reflecting  the 
sky,  in  which  a  child  might  bathe  its  feet 
without  the  slightest  danger,  while,  on  the 
outside,  swept  the  great  resistless  flood  of 
white-breasted  rapids,  moving  down  the 
steep  incline  with  a  majesty  only  less  in- 
spiring than  that  of  the  cataract  itself. 

"  Well !  don't  you  think  Niagara  deserves 
its  name,  which  means  'Thunder  of 
Waters '  ?  "  asked  Kate,  after  a  long  silence. 

"  It  scarcely  could  have  one  that  better 
describes  the  impression  it  makes,"  said 
Hugh  Macnab,  in  a  low,  meditative  tone. 

"  Are  i/ou  tired  yet,  Hugli  ?  "  asked  Kate ; 
"  shall  we  walk  on — it's  a  good  mile — or  take 
a  carriage  ?  " 

"  Walk,  by  all  means,"  said  Hugh,  "  if  the 
rest  of  you  are  not  tired." 


16  §0UJtt  the  3ivtt  t0  the  ^t)x. 


They  walked  leisurely  on  by  the  shore, 
washed  by  the  swift  hurrying  water,  while, 
above  them,  to  their  right,  Kate  pointed  out 
the  railway  track  along  which  they  had 
come,  and  the  point  at  which  they  had 
stopped,  in  order  to  get  the  celebrated 
"  Fall  view." 

"  I  shall  never  forget  it,"  said  Flora.  "  I 
was  a  little  disappointed  at  first  about  the 
height.  I  couldn't  see  that  from  there,  nor 
realize  it  at  all !  But  the  grandeur  of  the 
scale  quite  took  my  breath  away.  It  was 
like  seeing  Mont  Blanc  for  the  first  time. 
It  takes  a  little  while  before  you  can  feel 
yourself  grow  up  to  it !  " 

"  That's  it  exactly ! "  exclaimed  Kate. 
"That  just  expresses  my  own  feeUngs  when 
I  saw  them  first.  Well,  May,  you  look 
sober  enough  over  it  all." 

"  Oh,  Kate,  it's  too  grand  for  words ;  I'm 
trying  to  *  grow  up  to  it,' "  she  added,  smil- 
ing. 

They  reached  the  bridge  leading  to  the 
lovely  Sister  or  Cynthia  Islands,  nestling 
amid  the  tumult  and  foam  as  safely  ps  in 
the  embrace  of  a  calmly  winding  river  where 
the  constant  shower-bath  of  the  spray  keeps 


g0uitt  the  ^ivcr  U  the  ^e«. 


17 


the  foliage  and  the  ferns  at  their  greenest 
and  freshest ;  and  the  contrast  between  the 
tranquil  beauty  of  the  woodland  ways  and 
the  turmoil  of  the  rapids  beyond  greatly 
heightened  the  charm  of  the  scene. 

"  Now,  we  nmst  take  a  carriage  back," 
said  Kate  decidedly;  and  no  one  objected 
now,  for  all  were  tolerably  tired,  between 
the  physical  fatigue  and  the  mental  strain 
involved  in  the  mere  appreciation  of  so 
much  beauty.  They  stop2)ed  for  a  few  min- 
utes at  the  Burning  Spring,  to  look,  as  in 
duty  bound,  a-t  that  iiatural  curiosity,  and 
then  settled  themselvcb  comfortably  in  the 
carriage  they  had  hailed,  while  Kate  gave 
the  order  to  return  by  Prospect  Drive,  along 
the  bluffs  above,  whence  they  could  take  in 
the  whole  sweexi  of  the  grand  river  from 
Navy  Island,  at  the  foot  of  Lake  Erie,  to 
the  dark,  narrow  gorge  below  the  Falls, 
where  the  waters  fret  and  toss  their  crests, 
like  angry  coursers  fretting  at  the  curbing 
bit. 

"Now,"  said  Kate,  "if  it  were  not  so  late 
already,  I  should  have  had  you  driven  to 
Lundy's  Lane, — only  about  a  mile  and  a  half 
west  of  us ;  but  it's  too  late,  for  to-day." 


w 


18 


Sown  the  '^xvtt  U  the  jl^a. 


"What  is  remarkable  about  Lundy's 
Lano  ?  "  inquired  Hugh  Maciiab.  "  I  confess 
my  ignorance." 

"  Oh,  of  course ;  one  doesn't  expect  yofi 
to  be  posted  in  Canadian  history,"  Kate  rc- 
phed.  "Lundy's  Lane  is  where  the  British 
tro()[)S  and  Canadian  volunteers  beat  the 
Americans  eighty  years  ago,  when  they 
tried  to  take  Canada." 

"  Oh !  I  see.  Pardon  my  ignorance.  I 
never  happened  to  hear  of  such  things  as 
battle-grounds  in  connection  with  Niagara. 
I  shall  have  to  read  ux^  these  historical  as- 
sociations." 

"  May  can  tell  you  all  about  it,"  replied 
Kate.  "  She's  great  on  Canadian  history. 
And  there  is  something  about  it  in  my 
guide  book;  so  you  can  read  up  in  the 
evenings  all  about  Lundy';^  Lane  and 
Queenston  Heights,  and  then  you  can  see 
them  both,  if  you  care  enough  about  it." 

The  drive  was  charming,  under  the 
slanting  rays  of  the  August  sun ;  the  sky 
and  water  taking  on  such  exquisite  ethe- 
real tints,  the  iris  on  the  clouds  of  spray  so 
delicately  bright,  that  their  gaze  was  con- 
stantly turning  backwards  as  they  glided 


I  I 

! 


§om%  the  ^ivct  U  the  ,9cn» 


19 


[tory. 

my 

the 

and 

see 

the 
sky 
jthe- 
ly  so 
con- 
Lided 


rapidly  over  the  smooth  higli-road  back 
towards  the  "  Chf ton." 

"  Now  for  a  rest,  then  dinner — and  tlien, 
you  know,  we  shall  have  tho  moon,  and  a 
lovely  time  for  watching  the  Falls  by  moon- 
light." 

Kate's  programme  was  fully  enjoyed — 
not  least  the  latter  portion  of  it.  They 
were  all  tempted  forth  for  another 
stroll  along  the  river  bank,  halting  again  at 
some  of  the  points  from  whence  they  had 
so  greatly  enjoyed  the  afternoon  views,  to 
compare  the  difference  of  tiie  moonlight  ef- 
fect— less  distinct,  but  more  romantic  and 
suggestive.  Kate  and  Flora  preferred,  on 
the  whole,  the  play  of  color  and  cheerful 
light  of  day,  while  Hugh  Macnab  endorsed 
May's  preference  for  the  moonlight,  which 
is  as  effective  at  Niagara  as  at  Melrose 
Abbey.  They  sat  long  on  the  piazza  that 
night,  saying  little,  but  silently  enjoying 
the  marvelous  scene — the  glory  Oii  the 
white,  shimmering  water,  the  solemn  maj- 
esty of  the  ascending  column  of  misty 
spray,  and  the  strong  contrast  of  light  and 
shade — until  the  picture  seemed  to  have 
becomu  a  part  of  their  mental  conscious- 


20 


Jawtt  the  a^ivcr  to  the  jlea. 


ness,  never   to  be  forgotten  and  a   "joy 
forever." 

Next  morning  the  party  met  at  breakfast 
in  good  time,  as  they  had  a  long  day  before 
them,  and  meant  to  make  the  best  possible 
use  of  it.  It  was  a  charming  morning,  and 
tliey  all  set  off  in  the  best  possible  spirits, 
enjoying  the  Falls  both  in  the  present  and 
the  future.  To  begin  with,  however,  there 
was  a  difficulty  to  be  got  over.  The 
juniors  were  all  eager  to  cross  the  river  in 
the  ferry-boat,  so  as  to  have  the  glorious 
view  of  1  he  great  cataract  from  a  point  of 
view  which  gives  a  different  and  grander 
impression  than  almost  any  other.  But 
Aunt  Bella  stoutly  refui^cd  even  to  con- 
sider the  suggestion  of  trusting  herself  to 
the  tender  mercies  of  a  cockle-shell  of  a 
boat  tossed  on  that  "  boiling  flood."  The 
difficulty  was  finally  settled  by  Kate,  who 
put  her  aunt  under  the  care  of  a  hackman 
who  promised  to  take  her  across  the  sus- 
pension ]jridge  and  meet  them  at  Prospect 
Point.  The  rest  of  the  party,  in  high  glee, 
followed  the  winding  road  that  leads  down 
to  the  ferry,  and  were  soon  packed  into  the 
large,  heavy  skiff.    Here,  indeed,  they  had 


^0\xn  the  ^iva  io  the  <^ea. 


21 


the  full  view  of  both  of  the  iiiuj^iflcent 
falls  and  of  the  boiling,  whitt;  ciiklron  be- 
low, and  tlie  dark,  malachite-green  rapids 
that  seem  to  press  like  a  solid  body  down 
the  narrow  river  gorge,  after  leaving  the 
turbulence  of  the  boiling  basin  behind 
them.  The  cool  spray  dashed  in  the  faces 
of  tlie  happy  party  as  the  boat  danced 
lightly  over  the  heaving  waters,  under  the 
strong  strokes  of  the  sturdy  rowers ;  and, 
when  they  reached  the  other  side,  after  a 
short  passage,  they  all  felt  as  if  the  ex- 
citing pleasure  had  been  quite  too  brief. 
On  landing  they  ascended  in  the  elevator  to 
the  bank  above,  and  at  once  took  their  way 
to  Prospect  Point,  where  they  stood  for 
some  time  lost  hi  the  fascination  of  the 
scene  before  them — the  majestic  American 
Fall  rushing  down  in  snowy  foam  from  the 
slope  of  furious  white-crested  rapids  just 
above  tlie  headlong  torrent.  The  thunder- 
ing sheet  filled  their  ears  with  its  mighty 
music,  and  as  they  could  now  see  its  out- 
line curved  inwards  almost  as  much  as 
tliat  of  the  "  Ilorse-shoe "  itself,  for,  of 
course,  the  action  of  falling  water  is  the 
same  on  both  sides  of  the  river.    But  the 


I 


22 


goujtt  ttte  S^ver  to  the  J>ftt. 


fact  that  the  rapids  are  here  compressed  by 
scattered  islands  seems  to  add  to  the  force 
and  fury  with  which  they  dash  themselves 
wildly  over  the  stony  ledges  with  a  resist- 
less strength  which  makes  us  realize  the 
power  of  the  one  spiritual  force  which  is 
described  as  stronger  than  "  many  waters." 
After  they  had  stood  silently  watching  the 
ceaseless  progress  of  the  waters,  until  all 
their  senses  had  seemed  to  be  filled  with  its 
mighty  rush  and  roar,  they  joined  Mrs. 
Sandford  in  the  carriage,  and  were  speedily 
driven  across  the  bridge  leading  over  the 
rapids  to  Goat  Island,  which  seemed  to 
May  like  a  little  tranquil  paradise  nestling 
amid  the  wild  fury  of  the  raging  floods. 
Here,  indeed,  they  could  have  all  varieties 
of  scenery.  The  whole  party  left  the  car- 
riage, so  that  they  might  feel  at  liberty  to 
enjoy  all  tlie  charming  nooks  of  the  island 
at  their  own  sweet  will.  Aunt  Bella, 
however,  preferring  to  make  a  leisurely 
circuit  in  tlie  carriage,  and  take  them  up 
again  at  the  end  of  it. 

"Only  see  that  Hugh  doesn't  tire  himself 
out,"  she  culled  out  as  they  left  her  be- 
hind, and   Kate,   who  noticed   the    young 


§o\xti  the  Itivft  ta  tbe  jifea. 


23 


man's  rising  color  and  expression  of  re- 
pressed annoyance  at  tlie  allusion  to  them, 
hurried  into  a  lively  talk  about  the  natural 
history  of  the  island,  explaining  that  it  was 
fast  wearing  away  under  the  force  of  the 
torrent ;  that  it  had  been  gradually  grow- 
ing smaller  during  the  last  hundred  years, 
and  that  probably,  in  the  course  of  another 
century,  it  would  have  almost  entirely  dis- 
appeared. 

"  Now,  come  round  this  way,"  she  said, 
"  and  soon  you  will  almost  forget  that  you 
are  on  the  edge  of  the  biggest  waterfall  in 
the  world." 

They  followed  her  lead,  taking  the  wood- 
land path  to  the  left,  catching  charming 
glimpses  of  the  fleecy  rapids  between  the 
overhanging  boughs  of  the  trees,  on  which 
birds  sang  sweetly  and  merry  squirrels 
frisked  and  chattered,  as  if  in  a  solitary 
wilderness  far  from  the  busy  haunts  of 
men.  As  they  came  out  presently  on  the 
open  ground  at  the  head  of  the  island,  they 
found  themselves  beside  "  still  waters,"  the 
shoal  water  rippling  gently  over  the  gravel, 
as  if  it  were  a  quiet  reach  of  woodland 
stream;  while,  above  them,  lay  u  smooth 


24  gofwrn  the  '^ivtv  io  the  jle». 


stretch  of  Lake  Erie,  with  Grand  Island  in 
the  distance,  its  apparent  placidity  conceal- 
ing the  fierce  undercurrent  which  no 
power  of  man  could  stem. 

"One  might  'moralize  the  spectacle*  to 
any  extent,"  said  Hugh  Macnah,  as  Kate 
told  some  stories  of  the  deadly  strength  of 
that  hidden  current — that  delusively  peace- 
ful expanse  of  water. 

"But  we  haven't  time  for  moralizing," 
retorted  Kate.    "  Now  for  a  change  of  scene." 

A  change  of  scene  it  was,  when  they  came 
out  on  one  of  the  light  rustic  bridges  which 
lead  across  the  foaming  rapids  to  the  near- 
est small  island,  and  from  one  to  another  of 
these  fairy  islets,  so  tiny  that  it  only  seems 
strange  that  they  are  not  swept  bodily  over 
the  Falls,  with  their  wave- worn  rocks  and 
trees,  gnarled  and  twisted  by  the  prevailhig 
winds.  Under  the  bridges  they  saw  pretty 
silver  cascades,  and  swift  rushing  streams, 
looking  innocent  enough,  but  all  charged 
with  a  portion  of  the  same  overpowering 
force.  On  the  outer  verge  of  the  farthest 
one  they  stood,  gazing  across  the  boiling 
sea  of  rapids  that  extends  unbroken  from 
the  Canada  shore.    Kate  pointed  out  the 


So\x\\  the  Slvcr  t0  the  ^ea. 


25 


column  of  Hpray  wliicli  rose  at  one  point, 
j)r()(lii(;L'(l  by  the  collision  of  cross-currents, 
diivin;^  the  water  f()rcil)ly  ui)\vards.  Then, 
recrossin^  the  little  bridg(;s,  they  slowly 
walked  alon^  the  road  leading  by  the  ed^^e 
of  tlie  island  overlooking  the  rapids,  till 
they  found  themselves  standing  on  the 
verge  of  Iho  great  Tlorse-slioe  Fall. 

"Our  Canadian  Fall  is  the  gnindest,  after 
all,"  said  ]May. 

"  Yes, "  replied  Kate,  "  only  it  isn't  all 
Canadian,  you  see,  for  the  boundary-lino 
runs  somewhere  about  the  middle  of  the 
river.  The  Americans  have  more  than  their 
own  share — all  their  own,  and  nearly  half 
of  ours." 

"  I  shouldn't  think  it  mattered  much," 
ol)served  Hugh,  "as  they  certainly  can't 
take  it  away,  or  fence  it  in,  and  forbid  tres- 
passers." 

Tlieir  eyes  followed  the  long,  irregular 
curve,  more  like  the  figure  ^five  than  like  a 
horse-shoe,  and  so  deeply  indented  in  tlie 
center  that  they  could  scarcely  mark  the 
center  of  the  abyss,  whose  almost  apjile- 
green  tint  was  every  moment  hidden  by  llio 
perpetually  ascending  clouds  of  milky  spray, 


§0Wtt  the  stiver  U  the  <?«»♦ 


sometimes  touched  by  the  tinted  bow,  and 
always  descending  into  the  cloudy  veil  that 
eternally  conceals  the  seething  abyss  below. 

"  This  is  Terrapin  Rock,"  said  Kate,  after 
they  had  looked  in  silence  for  a  time ;  "  and 
there  used  to  be  a  tower  here  from  which 
you  could  look  down  on  all  this  wild  raging 
commotion,  feeling  the  strong  stone  struc- 
ture tremble  beneath  you.  It  came  down  at 
last — or  was  pulled  down,  because  it  was 
thought  dangerous,  I  forget  which." 

"  Well,  this  is  fearful  enough  for  me," 
said  Flora,  turning  away,  at  last,  with 
Kate,  while  May  still  stood  lost  in  the  fas- 
cination of  the  scene,  till  roused  by  Kate's 
call,  when  she  discovered  that  Hugh  Mac- 
nab  had  lingered  also,  absorbed  in  the  same 
fa^chiation,  and  was  now  waiting  to  help 
her  back  across  the  little  bridge  which 
joined  the  rocky  point  to  the  island. 

"  It  seems  like  waking  up  to  one's  own 
identity  again,  after  having  lost  it  in  a 
vague  sense  of  '  the  Immensities,"  remarked 
Hugh,  as  they  joined  the  others ;  and  May 
felt  that  the  words  exactly  expressed  her 
own  feeling. 

**  But  we  must  wake  up  in  earnest,"  said 


Sown  the  ^ivrt  U  the  Jfea, 


Kate,  "  and  hurry  on,  or  Aunt  Bella  will  be 
certainly  imagining  that  we  have  all  gone 
over  the  Falls." 

They  hurried  along  the  smooth,  broad 
road  till  they  at  last  came  up  with  Aunt 
Bella,  seated  on  a  rustic  bench,  with  a  large 
basket  beside  her. 

"  Oh,  my  dears !  what  have — "  she  began, 
but  Kate  playfully  laid  her  finger  on  her 
lips,  saying :  "  Wo  are  all  liere.  Auntie, 
quite  safe,  and  now  we  are  going  to  look  at 
the  Fall  from  Luna  Island." 

"  My  dear,  not  I !  I  never  could  go  there 
since  that  dreadful  thing  happened  there, 
years  ago.  It  makes  me  faint,  just  to  think 
of  it!  If  you  go,  do  be  careful!  Don't  go 
and  stand  near  the  brink  !  " 

"  No ;  we'll  be  careful,  I  assure  you.  Xow 
don't  worry  about  us !  We'll  be  l>ack  soon, 
and  then  we'll  have  our  luncheon."  And 
she  led  the  way  down  the  stair  that  leads 
from  Goat  Island  to  the  charming  bit  of 
bosky  green  whicli  cuts  off  the  small  "  Cen- 
tral Fall"  from  the  great  "American  Fall." 
May  and  Mora  both  exclaimed  with  delight 
over  ils  wonderful  combination  of  beauty 
and  terror,  its  glancing,  silvery  sheen  and 


28 


goivu  the  |{ivet  U  the  jJea. 


terrible  velocity,  Jis  it  rushed  past  them  at 
headloiif^  speed,  on  to  the  misty  depths  be- 
low. And  while  they  stood  fascinated  by 
the  sight,  Kate  told  them  the  tale  of  the 
tragedy  which  had  happened  there  on  one 
bright  summer  day  like  this,  when  a  young 
man  thoughtlessly  caught  up  a  little  child 
and  sportingly  held  her  over  the  brink, — 
wlicn  tlie  struggling  little  one  somehow  es- 
caped from  his  grasp,  and  the  horror-stricken 
young  man  ma<lly  leaped  after  her,  both 
being  instantly  lost  to  sight  in  the  wild  rush 
of  the  torrent. 

Hugh  ]\hicnal)  turned  away  with  a 
blanched  face.  "  What  a  pen.alty  for  a  mo- 
mentary thouglitlessness  !"  he  said,  in  a 
scarcely  audible  tone. 

And  a  hush  seemed  to  steal  over  the  lit- 
tle party,  as  they  turned  silently  away  from 
the  fateful  spot. 

"  Yes,"  remarked  Kate,  as  they  reascend- 
ed  the  stairway  to  Goat  Island,  "the  old 
Indian  legend  was  n(^t  so  far  wrong — that 
the  deity  of  the  Falls  demanded  a  victim 
yearly.  There  is  scarcely  a  year  in  wlucli 
more  than  one  victim  is  not  secured  by 
these   insatiable  wattu's,  though    it  is   not 


Down  t\\t  ^mv  U  the  ^f  cm. 


m 


always  a  young  maiden — as  the  legend  has 
it." 

When  they  reached  Mrs.  Sandford,  they 
found  that  she  had  spread  the  contents  of 
the  basket  on  a  white  cloth  on  the  grass, 
and  they  were  all  hungry  enough  to  enjoy 
their  luncheon  in  the  midst  of  such  roman- 
tic surroundings.  After  the  lunch  was  fin- 
islied,  and  they  had  all  rested  for  awhile, 
they  made  their  way  to  the  little  staircase 
close  by,  down  which  they  were  all  to  go  in 
order  to  get  the  wonderful  view  from  be- 
low. Mrs.  Sandford  chose  to  descend  in 
the  elevator,  and  insisted  that  Hugh  should 
accompany  her,  while  the  three  girls  ran 
merrily  down  the  long  stair.  Flora  counting 
the  steps  on  the  way.  Hugh  was  deter- 
mined, in  spite  of  all  his  aunt's  persuasive 
eloquence,  to  don  a  waterproof  suit  in  order 
to  go  under  the  Falls  and  explore  the  Cave 
of  the  Winds;  and  Kate  agreed  to  be  his 
companion,  the  rest  preferring  to  venture 
along  the  rocky  pathway,  only  so  far  as 
they  oould  safely  do,  under  cover  of  their 
umbrellas.  Mrs.  Sandford  took  her  seat  on 
a  mass  of  black  rock,  declaring  that  she 
would  remam  there,  in  fear  and  trembling, 


t 


i; 


■  I 


30 


§omx  the  ^mv  to  thi?  ^a. 


until  they  all  returned  in  safety  from  their 
expedition.  May  and  Flora  strolled  about 
the  surrounding  rocks,  looking  up,  with 
some  dread,  at  the  precipices  towering  above 
them,  and  at  the  tremendous  colunms  of 
falling  water,  which  filled  in  the  view  in 
every  direction.  Presently,  three  frightful 
figures  in  bullcy  garments  of  yellow  oilskin 
emerged  from  tlie  building  at  tlie  foot  ct  the 
stairs,  from  two  of  which  they  presently, 
to  their  great  anmsement,  recognized  the 
voices  of  Hugh  and  Kate,  accompanied  by 
the  guide.  Allowing  these  extraordinary 
figures  to  precede  them.  May  and  Flora 
clung  closely  together,  holding  an  umbrella 
between  tliem,  and  following,  as  closely  as 
they  could,  along  the  narrow  pathway, 
where  the  spray  rained  down  perpetually  on 
the  shining  black  rocks  below.  As  they  left 
the  American  Fall  farther  behind  them, 
skirting  the  rugged  brown  cliffs  that  sup- 
port Goat  Island  high  overhead,  the  path- 
way became  comparatively  dry,  and  they 
could  see  more  clearly  before  them  the  great 
Fail  they  were  ai^proaching  from  beneath — 
its  tremendous  wall  of  fleecy  foam  rising 
high  above  them  into  the  deep  blue  sky,  and 


§omx  the  Oliver  to  the  ^tn* 


81 


losing?  itself  below  in  the  floating  clouds  of 
spray,  which  they  soon  began  to  feel  again 
in  a  renewal  of  the  light  shower.  The  two 
girls  had  to  stop,  at  last,  and  stood  spell- 
bound, watching  the  mighty  expanse  of 
eternally  falling  water,  its  fleecy,  flashuig 
masses  of  milk-white  foam,  and  its  gray  im- 
palpable billows  of  ever-ascending  spray — 
through  the  rifts  in  which  they  could  ever 
and  anon  catch  glimpses  of  that  seemingly 
sohd  gray  wall  of  water  behind.  Strange 
sensations  of  awe  at  its  solenm  grandeur 
alternating  with  the  sense  of  the  excpii- 
site  beauty  of  the  scene  absorbed  their 
consciousness,  while  they  mechanically  ob- 
served, also,  the  yellow  figures — soinfinitesi- 
mally  small  beside  the  mighty  cataract — as 
they  passed  onward,  and  were  for  a  few 
moments,  to  their  momentary  terror,  lost  to 
view  among  the  clouds  of  spray  that  hid 
their  farther  progress.  Very  soon,  however, 
they  emerged  again,  and  soon  regained  the 
point  where  the  girls  were  standing,  breath- 
less and  dripping,  but  in  overflowing  spirits. 

"  And  what  did  you  see,  when  you  got  in 
behind  the  Falls?"  asked  Flora. 

"  We  certainly  did  not  ace  much,"  replied 


»•' 


32 


gown  the  2^iicr  io  the  J^a. 


her  brother.  "  Everything  visible  seemed 
swallowed  up  in  a  gray  mist,  but  the  whole 
experience  was  a  wonderful  one  !  I  wouldn't 
have  missed  it  for  anything,"  * 

"  Well,  I'm  quite  contented  with  what 
I've  had !  "  said  Flora. 

May  had  for  a  moment  a  little  wistful 
sense  of  having  missed  something,  but,  after 
all,  intense  satisfaction  preponderated. 

Returning  again  to  the  starting- point, 
they  gave  Mrs.  Sandford  reassuring  evidence 
of  their  safety,  so  far,  and  promising  a  quick 
return,  they  pursued  their  way  to  the  en- 
trance of  the  "Cave  of  the  Winds,"  the 
name  given  to  the  hollow  arched  over  by 
the  concave  rock  and  the  falling  sheet  of 
the  lovely  little  Central  Fall.  May  and 
Flora  again  followed  under  their  umbrella, 
as  far  as  they  dared,  and  there  waited,  en- 
joying the  wonder  and  novelty  of  the  sight. 
INIay  gazed  into  the  mysterious  cavern  be- 
fore her,  veiled  by  the  clouds  of  milky 
spray,  as  if  it  were  indeed  the  veritable 
Cave  of  ^olus,  in  which  were  confined  the 
wailing  winds  which  clamored  to  be  let 
loose  on  their  mission  of  destruction,  and 
zii'Of  it  might  be,  of  blessing;  whose  hollow 


gowtt  the  3'wn'  *<*  the  ^tn. 


33 


it 


roar  seemed  blended  with  the  full  soft 
"  tluinder  of  waters." 

Miiy  had  lost  all  count  of  time,  absoi'])ed 
in  the  scene  before  her,  when  Flora's  r(v 
lieved  exclamation,  "Oh,  here  they  are  iit 
last ! "  recalled  her  absorbed  senses,  and  she 
perceived  the  dripping  figures  of  what 
might  have  been  disguised  river-gods, 
scrambling  back  along  the  wet,  rocky  path- 
way. 

"Oh,  it  was  grand!''''  Kate  declared. 
"  I'll  never  forget  it !  To  stand,  just  be- 
tween those  two  lovely  falls,  till  you  felt  as 
if  you  were  actually  a  part  of  them !  And 
then  we  went  on  a  little  way  behind  the 
American  sheet,  too." 

"  Well,  Hugh,  are  you  satisfied  nov)  ? " 
asked  Flora.  Hugh's  eyes  were  shining 
through  the  dripping  moisture,  and  his  face, 
so  far  as  it  was  visible,  was  glowing  with 
exercise  and  excitement. 

"Satisfied?  No !— delighted ?  Yes.  But 
when  is  the  eye  satisfied  with  seeing?  The 
grandest  sights  only  seem  to  quicken  our 
aspirations  towards  the  Infinite." 

But  Aunt  Bella  was  now  beckoning  to  the 
party  to  hasten  back,  and,  as  soon  as  they 
8 


H         Ijowtt  the  givev  U  the  jjfea. 


i 


were  within  speaking  distance,  she  hurried 
Hugh  off  to  change  his  clothes  as  speedily 
as  possible.  Kate  and  he  were  soon  out  of 
their  grotesque  disguise,  and  in  a  few  min- 
utes they  were  all  ascending,  in  the  ele- 
vator, to  the  upper  bank.  Here  they  found 
the  carriage  awaiting  them,  which  had  been 
ordered  to  come  back  to  meet  them,  and  dis- 
covered, to  their  surprise,  that  they  would 
have  to  drive  home  as  rapidly  as  possible  if 
they  wished  to  be  at  the  Clifton  iu  time  for 
the  hotel  dinner.  It  was  a  quiet  drive  across 
the  suspension  bridge,  with  the  Falls  to 
their  left,  and  the  deep  green  gorge  of  the 
winding  river  to  their  right.  Each  felt  the 
silent  enjoyment  of  the  scenes  they  had  just 
left,  and  of  the  fair  evening  view  around 
them — with  the  wonderful  Falls  always  in 
the  distance, — quite  enough  for  the  present, 
without  trying  to  talk  about  it.  Even  Mrs. 
Sandford,  usually  discursive,  was  too  much 
fatigued  with  the  day's  outing  to  do  her 
usual  part  in  the  matter  of  conversation. 

They  made  up  for  it  later,  however, 
when,  too  tired  for  further  roaming,  they 
all  sat  on  the  balcony  watching  the  sunset 
tints  fade  into  those  of  the  brightening 


§mti  the  ^iver  to  the  S^tn. 


moonlight,  whose  whiteness  seemed  to  har- 
monize so  well  with  the  snowy  sheen  of  the 
Falls.  Kate  got  out  her  guide-book,  and, 
with  occasional  appeals  to  May  to  fill  up  her 
outlines,  gave  the  strangers  a  few  particu- 
lars as  to  the  historical  associations  of  the 
locality.  "You  see,"  she  said,  "all  this 
frontier  was  the  natural  scene  of  hostili- 
ties when  the  two  countries  were  at  war. 
This  is  one  of  the  points  at  which  New 
York  troops  could  most  easily  make  their 
entrance  into  Canada."  And  then  Hugh 
Macnab,  by  dint  of  cross-questioning,  drew 
from  the  two  girls,  in  turn,  the  main  out- 
lines of  the  war  of  1812,  concluding  with  the 
battle  of  Lundy's  Lane.  As  they  at  last 
said  good-night  to  each  other,  and  to  the 
beauty  of  the  moonlit  Falls,  they  noticed  re- 
gretfully that  a  yellowish  halo  had  formed 
round  the  moon. 

"Yes,"  said  Mrs.  Sandford,  "it's  quite 
likely  we  shall  have  a  rainy  day  to-morrow, 
and,  when  it  once  begins,  I  shouldn't  wonder 
if  we  had  two  or  three  days  of  it,  after  such 
a  dry  time !  " 

"  Well,  we  won't  believe  anything  quite 
so  dreadful  just  now,"  said  Kate.  "  We'll 
go  to  sleep  now,  and  hope  for  the  best.'* 


36 


§0wn  the  $ivtt  to  the  jlea. 


Mrs.  Sandford  was  somewhat  triumphant 
in  the  justification  of  her  weather  wisdom, 
when  they  lieard,  next  morning,  the  sound 
of  the  rain  pattering  down  on  the  veranda 
without.  The  morning  did^  indeed,  look 
gray,  dull,  unpromising,  as  even  a  July  day 
can  sometimes  look.  May  was  rather 
mournful  over  the  loss  of  the  ligl  t  and 
color,  and  the  general  change  that  had  come 
over  the  landscape.  But  Kate  persisted  in 
her  optimistic  declaration  that  she  believed 
it  would  soon  clear  up,  and  then  everything 
would  be  even  more  lovely  than  before. 
Meantime  they  would  ha^e  the  chance  of 
seeing  how  the  Falls  looked  in  bad  weather ! 

And,  indeed,  they  were  by  no  means 
without  beauty,  even  now.  The  purity  of 
the  central  green  was  gone,  but  the  soft 
gray  tones  melting  away  into  gray  mist, 
under  a  gray  sky,  gave  the  effect  of  a  sketch 
rather  than  a  finished  picture,  with  sug- 
gestions of  sublimity  far  beyond  the  visible. 

As  they  wistfully  scanned  the  sky  after 
breakfast,  watching  for  a  promising  gleam 
of  blue,  Kate  proposed  a  programme  to  be 
carried  out  as  soon  as  it  should  clear. 

"You  see  it  will  be  too  wet  for  much 


§o\xn  the  Jlivcv  to  the  Jfe». 


ft7 


be 


walking  and  scrambling  about,  which  would 
never  do  for  Hugh,  at  any  rate.  Now,  let 
us  order  a  carriage  and  take  a  nice  leisurely- 
drive  all  about  the  country.  We've  seen 
the  Falls  pretty  well  now,  and  we  can  do 
the  battle-grounds — Lundy's  Lane  and 
Queenston  Heights,  and  take  the  Whirl- 
pool on  the  way." 

"  Well,  we'll  see,"  said  Mrs.  Sandford  re- 
signedly, "  if  it  does  clear."  So  she  settled 
down  to  her  knitting.  Hugh  Macnab  sat 
scribbling  in  his  note-book ;  Flora  annised 
herself  at  the  piano,  and  May  hovered  about 
the  veranda,  still  enthralled  by  the  spell  of 
the  "  Thunder  of  Waters,"  even  in  a  washed- 
out  sketch,  as  Kate  styled  it.  But  by  and 
by,  a  warm,  soft  gleam  stole  through  the 
mist-laden  atmosphere,  small  patches  of 
blue  sky  appeared,  and,  in  a  very  short 
time,  the  color  had,  as  if  by  magic,  come 
back  to  the  scene;  the  foliage  stood  out 
greener  than  before,  and  the  emerald  once 
more  gemmed  the  center  of  the  Horse-shoe 
Falls,  though  somewhat  less  than  it  had 
previously  appeared. 

The  carriage  was  quickly  summoned,  and 
they  were  soon  rolling  smoothly  along  the 


88 


§0wn  the  "^ivtv  U  iht  ^a. 


ti 


road  that  led  away  from  the  river,  through 
the  quiet  little  village  of  JJruniuiondville — 
back  to  Luiidy's  Lane. 

"  You  see  we  are  really  beginning  at  the 
end,"  said  Kate.  "Lundy's  Lane  came  at 
the  close  of  the  war,  in  1814,  and  it  began 
in  October,  1812,  at  C^ueenston  Heights, 
which  we  are  going  to  see  this  afternoon. 
For,  you  see,  the  American  troops  kept  ha- 
rassing this  border  for  a  couple  of  years." 

"Just  as  your  English  forefathers  used 
to  harass  my  Scotch  ones  long  ago,"  stiid 
Hugh. 

"Oh,  and  I  suppose  the  Scotch  never 
did  likewise!  Indeed,  I  rather  think  they 
were  a  good  deal  the  worst,"  laughed  Kate. 
"  But,  at  any  rate,  this  sort  of  thing  had  been 
going  on  for  nearly  two  years,  keeping  the 
poor  people  in  a  state  of  constant  dread,  and 
I  think  Sir  Gordon  Drummond  and  his  six- 
teen hundred  men,  part  of  them  British 
troops  and  part  Canadian  volunteers,  must 
have  been  pretty  tired  of  it.  He  made  up 
his  mind,  however,  that,  come  what  might, 
he  wouldn't  retire  before  even  five  thousand 
Americans.  That  hill  there  was  where  he 
stationed   his   troops,  and,  as  the  guide- 


g0«jtt  the  '^'mx  U  the  S^iJX, 


'6d 


book  says,  they  stai/ed  there,  though  the 
Aniericims  did  tlieir  best  to  drive  tlieni  off. 
At  hist  they  tired  out  tlie  Ainericiin  gen- 
eral, who  fell  off  with  his  defeated  uriny  to 
their  camp,  away  up  there  beyond  Chip- 
pewa— hi  the  direction  we  walked  the  first 
afternoon — and  I  believe  tliey  never  halted 
till  they  got  back  to  Fort  Erie,  from  whence 
they  had  come." 

"Your  Canadian  volunteers  must  have 
been  a  i)lucky  lot  of  fellows;  no  disgrace 
to  the  British  flag  they  bore,"  Hugh  ob- 
served. 

"Yes,  and  it  wasn't  only  the  7)ien  who 
were  plucky,"  May  remarked,  Homewluit 
shyly.  "  The  summer  before  I,undy's  l.ane, 
a  woman  did  one  of  the  bravest  deeds  of  the 
whole  war.  Iler  name  was  Laura  Secord, 
and  she  was  the  wife  of  a  militiaman  who 
had  been  crippled  in  the  war.  She  found 
out  that  the  American  troops  were  on  the 
march  from  Fort  George,  down  at  the  mouth 
of  the  river,  with  the  object  of  cutting  off  a 
little  garrison  of  volunteers  entrenched  at  a 
place  called  Beaver  Dam.  If  the  Americans 
could  have  managed  this  it  would  have  been 
a  great  blow  to  the  Canadians  3  and,  as  there 


40 


§ttvcn  tint  '^ivtx  U  thf  ^m. 


was  no  one  to  warn  them,  this  brave  young 
woman  determined  to  walk  all  the  way — 
and  a  very  lonely  way  it  was — through  the 
woods,  to  warn  Fitzgibbon,  the  British  com- 
mander. She  succeeded  in  getting  through 
the  Yankee  lines,  and  arrived  safely  at  the 
little  Canadian  garrison;  and  when  the 
American  troops  arrived  they  met  so  hot  a 
reception  from  sharp-shooters  concealed  in 
the  woods,  with  a  few  British  soldiers  in 
front,  that  the  commander  thought  he  was 
trapped  into  an  encounter  with  the  whole 
British  force,  and  precipitately  surrendered 
his  six  hundred  men,  guns  and  all,  to  a 
Canadian  force  of  much  less  than  half  his 
own  numbers." 

"  Well,"  exclaimed  Hugh,  his  eye  lighting, 
and  his  cheek  flushing,  "  that  teas  a  brave 
woman.  Such  an  exploit  as  that,  in  our 
old  border  wars  would  have  been  immortal- 
ized in  a  ballad." 

*'  It  has  been  the  subject  of  two  or  three 
Canadian  poems,"  Kate  replied.  "May 
knows  all  about  them,  and  I  have  no  doubt 
she  could  recite  some  of  the  verses  about 
Laura  Secord." 

And  May,  on  being  pressed,  recited  a  por- 


gown  the  give t  to  the  ^ea. 


41 


tion  of  a  ballad  rather  shyly,  but  still  with 
u  good  deal  of  spirit,  and  seeming  to  feel 
more  at  home  with  the  formidable  Hugh, 
througli  their  fellow-feeling  about  such  tra- 
ditionary tales.  They  looked  at  the  little 
hill  and  tried  to  imagine  the  scene,  when,  at 
sunset,  the  guns  mingled  their  ominous  roar 
with  the  majestic  thunder  of  the  Falls,  un- 
til recalled  by  Mrs.  Sandford  to  the  recol- 
lection that  it  was  nearly  lunch- time.  They 
drove  some  distance  further  along  the  pretty 
shady  lane,  with  its  bordering  gardens  and 
orchards  on  either  side,  and  then  rapidly 
returned  to  the  hotel. 

In  the  afternoon  they  set  out  again  to 
drive  down  the  river, — the  afternoon  being 
a  lovely  one, — the  air  fragrant  with  wan- 
dering scents  from  the  woods,  and  the  roads 
fi'eed  from  dust  by  the  recent  rain.  They 
drove  past  the  little  town  of  Niagara  Falls, 
or  Clifton,  as  it  is  still  sometimes  called,  at 
the  point  where  the  railway  crosses  the 
river  on  its  great  suspension  bridge,  and 
whose  chief  center  of  life  is  the  great  rail- 
way station  for  the  whole  vicinity.  Leav- 
ing that  behind,  they  followed  the  road 
along  the  river  bank  till  they  turned  in  at 


42 


§0\xn  the  §tittv  t0  the  #e». 


the  gate  leading  to  the  descent  to  the  Whirl- 
pool. A  steep,  wooded  incline  descended 
the  abrupt  and  densely  wooded  cliifs,  down 
which,  at  intervals,  ran  a  car,  drawn  up  and 
down  by  a  chain  that  passed  over  a  wheel 
at  the  top.  The  fatigue  of  a  descent  in  any 
other  way  was  not  to  be  thought  of ;  so, 
although  this  way  looked  rather  formidable, 
they  all  connnitted  themselves  to  the  car, 
except  ]\Irs.  Sand  ford,  who  preferred  to  re- 
main at  the  top  until  their  return — remark- 
ing that  she  had  no  fancy  for  tobogganing, 
especially  on  dry  land !  And,  indeed,  the 
dizzy  speed  at  which  they  djscendedwas 
not  altogether  unlike  tobogganing — at  least, 
according  to  Kate — which,  Hugh  said,  was 
some  satisfaction,  since  he  should  not  bo 
able  to  enjoy  the  thing  itself.  At  the  foot 
of  the  rapid  descent  they  h.ad  only  to  follow 
a  woodland  path  for  a  short  distance  in 
order  to  get  a  full  view  of  the  boiling  and 
raging  torrent;  the  waters,  to  a  depth  of 
more  than  two  hundred  feet,  being  com- 
pressed into  a  narrow  channel  of  about  a 
hundred  yards  between  the  high  precipitous 
banks,  till  the  confined  and  chafing  stream 
geemed  to  riao  iuto  a  ridge  of  great  aeeth- 


§o\vn  the  S^mv  to  the  ,^eiv. 


43 


ing,  foamini^^  waves,  t<)ssiii<;  their  heads  up 
hke  small  geysers,  or  waterspouts,  some 
twenty  feet  high,  as  they  dashed  furiously 
iiucaiiist  eaeh  other  with  all  the  foreo  of  the 
strong  hidden  currcMits.  Just  here,  where 
the  river  swerved  suddenly  to  the  right,  the 
sweep  of  the  river  round  the  Anieriean  clitf 
made  a  sort  of  back-eddy  in  the  bay  formed 
by  the  receding  heights  above  them — where, 
mider  a  surface  of  apparently  still  water, 
its  solenui  depths,  dark  and  sond)er,  like  a 
mountain  tarn  set  in  the  midst  of  dusky 
pi'.ies,  lay  concealed,  save  for  a  few  whirling 
eddies,  a  fierce  vortex,  which  nothing  that  ap- 
[)r()achedit  could  resist.  Looking  only  on  the 
placiid  surface,  it  was  diflicult  to  i-ealize  the 
liidden  power  beneath,  until  ITugli  iNFacnab 
tiii'ewa  large  piece  of  stick  near  the  cent(M', 
where  they  saw  it  continue  to  gyrate  with 
tremendous  speed  as  long  as  they  cared  to 
watch  it.  Kate  said  there  were  gruesome 
stories  of  bodies  which  had  been  carried 
over  the  Falls,  reappearing  here  for  a  horri- 
ble dance  of  death,  which  it  made  them 
shudder  to  imagine.  Hugh  enthusiasticidly 
declared  that  the  dark  and  savage  grandenr 
of  this  lonely  gorge,  with  its  steep   over- 


44 


§oxv\\  the  ^ivtv  U  tUf  jlea. 


hanging  heights,  rising  in  their  dusky  green 
against  the  sky,  like  prison  walls  about  the 
little  Maiilstroni,  was  tlie  finest  bit  of  scen- 
ery he  had  yet  seen  about  the  Falls,  and 
seemed  just  the  place  in  which  to  imagine 
any  tragedy. 

"Can't  you  hivent  one  for  it?"  asked 
Flora. 

"Nothing  worthy  of  the  scene,  I  am 
afraid,"  he  replied.  "  It  recalls  Schiller's 
'Diver,'  though,  which  has  been  haunting 
me  constantly  during  the  last  few  days.  Do 
you  remember  it?" 

Kate  did  not,  but  May  had  read  Lord  Lyt- 
ton's  translation  of  it,  and  remembered  it, 
though  not  distinctly. 

"  Couldn't  you  repeat  a  verse  or  two  of 
your  own  translation  ?  "  said  Flora. 

"  I  should  have  to  repeat  my  own,  if  I  did 
any,"  he  said,  smiling,  "  for  it's  the  only  one 
I  could  manage  to  remeiuber." 

"  Well,  give  us  a  bit  of  it,  do,"  commanaed 
Kate. 

Hugh  thought  for  a  moment.  "  I'll  give 
you  the  two  stanzas  that  might  do  for  a 
description  of  the  present  scene,"  he  said, 
and  went  on  to  recite,  with  great  spirit : 


§oxvn  the  '^ivtv  to  the  ^tn. 


45 


••  And  it  boils  and  it  seethes,  and  it  hisses  and 
roars, 
As  if  fire  struggled  fierce  with  the  wave, 
And  a  misty  spray-cloud  from  its  bosom  outpours. 

And  the  chasing  floods  endlessly  rave; 
And,  like  thunder  remote,  with  its  low  distant 
rumbles, 
Tlio  foam-crested  stream  from  the  dark  cafion 
tumbles  ! 

'   r.at  at  last  comes  a  lull  in  the  turbulent  wai', 
Aiid  black  in  the  midst  of  white  foam 

A  yawning  rift  gapes  in  the  center,  that  far 
Leads  downwards  to  bottomless  gloom ; 

And  lo!  all  the  surges,  swift,  rushing  and  roaring. 
Down  into  the  whirlpool  are  endlessly  pouring ! " 

"It  has  the  merit  of  beiiii^  pretty  literal, 
at  any  rate,"  he  added,  as  they  all  tliaiiked 
him,  while  Flora  whispered  to  May  that  llie 
whole  translation  was  in  the  new  book  that 
was  nearly  ready.  "  But  it  is  so  strong  and 
terse  in  the  original  that  it  is  extremely  dif- 
ficult to  render  w^tli  any  justice  in  a  trans- 
lation." 

"It  would  do  for  a  description  of  t/n'.^ 
whirlpool,  at  any  rate,"  said  Kate.  And 
then  she  told  them  of  a  real  tragedy,  not 
unlike  that  of  "  The  Diver,"  which  had  been 
recently  enacted  there,  the  feat  of  a  bold 


46 


Down  the  '^xvtv  io  the  j^ea. 


swimmer,  who  had  ventured  to  oppose  his 
own  strength  and  skill  to  that  resistless 
force  of   \\o  flood,  with  a  similar  result. 

"  x'oor  jgUow  !  '■  said  Hugh,  "  that's  trag- 
edy enough  for  the  place  without  inventing 
one.     But  why  will  man  be  so  foolhardy  ?  " 

"  I  o'^n  t'.:U  you  of  another  daring  feat, 
thnt  rtvcveuv^d  though,"  replied  Kate, 
"though  '  W'  xi».ght  have  seemed  foolhardy, 
to.  ."  Ai'd  she  v.  at  on  u,  tell  tiicjii  liovv'  a 
littb  sieiiiii>  ^ot  i  the  "Maid  of  the 

Mist,''  which  useii.  :o  .  /  up  and  down,  just 
below  the  Falls,  in  order  to  give  visitors 
the  same  view  they  now  had  from  the  ferry 
boat,  had  finally  been  taken  down  the  river 
to  Niagara,  at  its  mouth,  piloted  through 
these  fierce  rapids  and  that  greedy  whirl- 
pool ;  and  how,  when  at  last  the  pilot  had 
successfully  accomplished  his  anxious  task, 
and  left  the  boat  at  its  dock,  he  looked  at 
least  ten  years  older  than  he  had  done  only 
an  hour  or  two  before. 

While  they  talked  Flora  was  trying  to 
make  a  rapid  sketch  of  the  view  had  from 
where  they  sat  on  the  bank — just  as  a  help 
to  remember  it  by,  she  said,  for  there  was 
far  too  much  to  attempt  in  a  hasty  sketch, 


§mn  the  '^xvtt  ta  the  ^ea. 


47 


3lp 


and  the  others  were  not  sorry  for  an  excuse 
to  linger  a  little  longer  in  so  striking  and 
picturesque  a  spot ;  but  at  last  they  felt 
compelled  to  bid  it  farewell,  and  tore  them- 
selves away,  ascending  in  the  same  way  in 
which  they  had  come  down,  not  without 
some  tremor  on  the  part  of  the  girls,  lest 
the  stout  chain  should  part  while  they 
were  on  the  way.    licjoining  Mrs.   Sand- 

^/-M»*^       TfTl-»/-\       i-%r»r«       /-»»-»>#^'nri-»       trr\i»xr     i  ^>-»  i^o  ii  oi'^  "f*      "fnoir 

were  soon  in  the  carriage  again,  but  before 
pursuing  their  onward  way  they  made  a 
little  detour,  driving  through  a  charming 
glen  which  led  gradually  downwards,  under 
embowering  trees  and  among  mossy  rocks 
and  ferny  glades,  to  where  a  pretty  little 
bay  lay,  cut  off  from  the  raving  stream  by 
a  beach  of  weather-worn  pebbles.  At  the 
other  extremity  of  the  picturesque  glen  lay 
a  little  placid  pool  formed  by  an  eddy  of 
the  river,  at  which  Hugh  declared  he  should 
like  to  stand  all  day  with  his  fishing-rod, 
taking  in  leisurely  all  the  influences  of  the 
tranquil  scene.  Flora,  also,  went  into  rapt- 
ures over  the  place,  which  she  said  re- 
minded her  so  much  of  a  Scottish  glen,  and 
she  and  her  brother  eagerly  discussed  its 


48 


^own  the  ^ivct  t0  the  ^m. 


points  of  similarity  and  contrast  with  sev- 
eral glens  well  known  to  tlieni  at  home. 

Returning  once  more  to  tiie  high-road 
tliey  continued  their  drive  tn  the  slanting 
afternoon  light,  with  rich  farms  and 
orchards  on  either  side  of  them  and  lovely 
glimpses  of  the  river  and  the  o[)posite 
bank,  till  they  found  themselves  among 
the  picturesque  dingier,  that  lie  round 
Queenston  Heights,  ascending  the  noble 
eminence,  crowned  by  a  stately  shaft,  which 
had  been  for  some  time  looining  before 
thciu  in  the  distance.  This  height,  Kate 
declared,  was  a  natural  monument,  mark- 
ing the  Thermopylie  of  Canada.  But  when 
they  came  out  at  last  on  its  brow,  close  to 
the  base  of  the  shaft,  they  all  exclaimed 
w4th  delight  at  the  exquisite  beauty  of  the 
view  that  lay  at  their  feet,  Avhich  for  the 
time  made  them  forget  that  such  things  as 
historical   associations   had   any   existence. 

Just  below  them  lay  a  fair,  broad  bay,  into 
which  the  narrow,  precipitous  gorge  had 
suddenly  expanded ;  while  away  to  their 
left  they  could  trace,  as  on  a  map,  the 
windings  of  the  now  placid  river,  round 
point  after  point,  between  banks  that  in 


^omx  the  Jlivcr  to  the  ,§ca. 


49 


the  nearer  distance  looked  like  escarpments 
crowned  with  foUage,  and,  as  they  receded, 
gradually  fell  away  in  height  until  tliey  de- 
scended almost, to  the  level  of  the  great 
Lake  Ontario,  which  stretched — a  blue,  sea- 
like expanse — to  the  horizon  line.  Across 
the  river,  before  them,  the  eye  traveled  over 
miles  on  miles  of  woodland  and  fertile 
farming  country,  dotted  with  villages  and 
homesteads ;  the  pretty  little  town  of  Lew- 
iston,  close  to  the  river,  just  below.  Im- 
mediately beneath  them  the  rugged  heights 
fell  away  abruptly  to  the  river  beach,  and 
they  looked  down  on  the  picturesque  little 
village  of  Queenston,  nestling  among  its 
graceful  weeping  willows,  while,  from  its 
dock,  a  small  ferry  steamer  was  just  leav- 
ing the  quiet  river,  on  its  way  to  the  nearly 
opposite  dock  at  Lewiston.  One  or  two 
sailing  vessels  and  skiffs  added  animation 
to  the  charming  foreground,  and  the  whole 
seemed  an  embodiment  of  tranquil  beauty. 

*•  Who  would  ever  dream,"  said  Flora, 
"  that  this  was  the  same  river  we  saw  raging 
away  up  there  ?  "  though  May,  listening  at- 
tentively, could  still  hear  the  soft,  distant 
murmur  of  the  "  Thunder  of  Waters." 


50 


§0wn  the  '^xvtt  to  the  jia. 


"War  and  Peace,"  said  Hugh.  "Cut  are 
we  not  going  to  ascend  ilie  monument?" 

"Of  course,"  said  Kate,  Avlien  they  had 
all  read  the  commemorative  inscription,  and 
(hdy  admired  the  graceful  shaft,  crowned 
by  the  figure  of  General  Wolfe,  with  one 
hand  resting  on  his  sword  and  the  other 
extended  as  if  to  cheer  on  his  men.  They 
climbed  the  winding  stair  within  to  the 
sunnnit,  from  whence  they  could  command 
still  more  extensive  and  varied  panorama 
on  all  sides  ot  them.  Kate  eagerly  pointed 
out  on  the  last  headland  at  the  mouth  of 
the  river  the  little  Canadian  town  of  Niag- 
ara, which,  she  informed  her  Scotch  cous- 
ins, was  almost  the  oldest  town  in  Ontario, 
and  had  even  enjoyed  tlie  dignity  of  being 
its  first  constitutional  capital.  Close  be- 
side it  they  could  trace  just  through  an 
opera  glass  the  ramparts  of  old  Fort 
George,  which  had  played  an  important 
part  in  stormy  days  gone  by.  On  the  oppo- 
site point  rose  the  white  walls  of  the 
American  Fort  Niagara.  Landward,  Kate 
pointed  out  the  spires  of  St.  Catherine's, 
fourteen  miles  off,  and  the  silver  streak  of 
the   Welland  Canal,  winding  its  devious 


§0\vn  the  ^ivcr  to  the  ^c«. 


51 


way  from  Lako  Erie  to  Port  Dalhousie,  on 
Lake  Ontario.  And,  "if  tliey  only  liad  a 
jrood  si)y-glass,"  slio  added,  "tliey  conld 
catcli  a  glimpse  of  Toronto,  just  across  a 
blue  stretch  of  lake." 

After  feasting  their  eyes  on  the  lovely 
landscape,  lighted  by  the  warm  afternoon 
sun,  they  were  not  sorry  to  descend  from 
their  lofty  perch  and  sit  down  a  while  in  a 
shady  spot  on  the  verge  of  the  height,  lo-^k- 
ing  down  over  its  dense  foliage  of  oak  and 
mai)le,  birch  and  sumach,  to  the  blue-green 
river  that  flowed  beneath,  half  concealed  by 
the  rocky  ledges.  And  as  they  sat  there 
and  Flora  sketched,  Kate  described — helped 
out  by  May — how,  early  in  one  October 
morning  of  1812,  a  line  of  boats  filled  with 
American  troops  had  stolen  silently  across 
the  stream,  until  the  gallant  "  forlorn  hope  " 
h[ul  made  a  landing  on  the  Canadian  shore ; 
and  how  the  fire  of  the  guns  that  greeted 
their  passage  had  roused  (jeneral  Wolfe  at 
Fort  George,  and  brought  liiui  galloping  up 
at  the  head  of  his  suite  to  take  command  of 
the  gallant  little  British  and  Canadian 
force,  of  only  about  eight  hundred  men,  all 
told.    But  this  little  force  had  opposed  the 


52 


HouJtt  the  ^mt  to  the  J^ea. 


progress  oi  llio  invaders  every  inch  of 
ground  witli  such  desperiito  viilor  as 
speedily  to  change  tlie  attack  into  a  rout, 
in  which  numbers  of  tlie  br.ave  American 
soldiers,  figliting  galhmtly,  even  afti^r  all 
was  lost,  fell  victims  to  the  uncontiollable 
ferocity  of  the  Indians,  determined  to 
avenge  the  death  of  the  brave  Woll'e,  who 
had  fallen  while  fighting  like  one  of  liis  own 
men,  and  cheering  on  the  "York  ^'()lun- 
teers."  Many  of  the  invaders  \\\i()  cscai)ed 
the  pursuing  Indians  were  killed  in  trying 
to  descend  the  rocky  height  or  drowned  in 
attempting  to  swim  across  the  river. 

"A  well-fought  fight  it  nuist  have  been," 
exclaimed  Hugh,  "  worthy  to  take  its  place 
beside  any  of  our  historical  battlefields. 
Why  d(m't  we  know  more  about  these 
affairs  at  home  ?  Then  we  might  feel  more 
as  if  Canada  were  indeed  a  *  Greater  Brit- 
ain ! '  And  so  these  heights  had  their  dead 
hero,  too,  as  well  as  the  *  Heights  of  Abra- 
ham'?" 

"  Yes,  indeed,"  said  May ;  "  General.Iir.ock 
was  indeed  a  hero,  just  as  much  as  Wolfe, 
though  he  only  helped  to  keep  Canada,  in- 
stead of  conquering  it." 


§omi  the  ^ivtv  to  the  jlea. 


63 


"  But,"  said  Kate,  "  to  go  back  to  ancient 
■  'story,  do  you  know  that  this  ridge  here  is 
said  to  have  been  once  tlie  shore  of  an 
ocean,  and,  at  a  later  time,  the  boundary  of 
the  lake;  and  that  here  the  Falls  are  sup- 
posed to  have  made  their  first  plunge.  The 
geologists  have  traced  it  all  the  way — its 
gradually  receding  front  all  the  way  back 
to  where  it  is  now." 

"I'm  sure  I'm   much  obliged  to  them," 

said  Hugh,  "but  somehow  these  vast  blank 

periods  of  geological   history   don't  touch 

lehalf  so  much  as  a  little  bit  of  humnn  in- 

.•est.  That  batole  you  have  been  describ- 
ing is  far  more  interesting  than  a3ons  of 
conflict  between  water  and  shale." 

"  If  it  interests  you  so  nmch,"  Kate  re- 
joined, "  you  can  read  more  about  it  when 
we  get  home,  in  a  Canadian  story  I  have, 
called  '  For  King  and  Country,'  which  ends 
with  the  battle  of  Queenston  Heights." 

And  now  Flora  had  finished  her  little 
sketch,  and  Mrs.  Sandford  warned  the  linger- 
ing party  that  the  afternoon  was  waning 
fast,  in  whicli  undoubted  fact  they  acqui- 
esced with  a  general  sigh  of  regret.  They 
descended  by  the  steep  winding  road  on  the 


54 


§0wn  iU  ^ivtv  to  the  ^m 


''% 


other  side  of  the  height,  through  thickets  of 
aromatic  red  cedar,  down  to  the  scattered 
little  village,  embowered  among  its  orchards 
below,  find  drove  some  distance  farther  on 
along  the  road  in  order  that  they  might  en- 
joy, in  returning,  the  charming  view  of  the 
Heights,  approached  from  the  Niagara  side. 
They  followed,  for  a  mile  or  two,  the  undu- 
lating road  which,  after  leaving  the  village 
behind,  was  skirted  with  white  villas,  sur- 
rounded by  wide  stretches  of  soft  green 
sward,  flecked  by  the  shadov/s  of  fine  old 
trees,  looking  like  a  bit  of  an  English  park ; 
and  then,  turning  at  last,  enjoyed  the 
charming  view  of  the  now  distant  bay,  with 
wooded  point  after  point  intervening,  and 
the  bold  eminence  of  Queenston  Heights 
always  litly  closing  in  the  picturesque 
vista. 

They  all  thought  the  drive  such  an  en- 
chanting one  that  there  was  not  a  dissent- 
ing voice  when  Kate  proposed  that,  since 
they  were  going  to  take  the  daily  steamer  to 
Toronto  from  Niagara,  on  their  onward 
route,  by  far  the  j)leasantest  plan  would  be 
to  i77Hife  thither,  when  at  last  they  must 
leave  the  Falls. 


g$mx  the  Oliver  to  the  ^eu. 


5a 


Leaving  the  Falls  seemed  a  sad  prospect 
to  all  of  them,  but  more  especially  so  to 
May,  over  whom  the  Falls  had  thrown  such 
a  spell  of  fascination  that  she  would  have 
liked  nothing  better  than  to  stay  there  all 
sununer,  feasting  eyes  and  ears  on  their 
grandeur.  But  Hugh  Macnab,  who  owned 
to  the  same  feeling,  added  the  consoling  re- 
flection that  "  a  thing  of  beauty  is  a  joy  for- 
ever," and  May  felt  convinced  that  the 
memory  of  the  Falls  would  indeed  be  "a 
joy  forever  "  to  her  as  long  as  she  lived. 

They  could  only  spare  three  days  more  to 
Niagara,  and  as  they  sat  that  evening  as 
usual  on  the  piazza,  regretting  the  lateness 
of  the  already  waning  moon,  they  agreed 
that  now,  having  taken  a  general  survey  of 
the  main  points  of  view,  they  should  not  at- 
tempt any  plans  for  the  remaining  days, 
but  should  spend  them  in  those  leisurely, 
unpremeditated  loiterings,  which  are  always 
the  pleasantest  way  of  absorbing  all  the 
more  subtile  and  indefinite  influences  of 
noble  scenery. 

So  the  remaining  days  turned  out  to  be, 
perhaps,  the  most  delightful  of  the  sojourn, 
spent  in  charming  desultory  strolls,  as  the 


66 


gowtt  iU  Pvef  to  iht  Jla. 


fancy  of  the  moment  dictated,  revisiting  all 
the  points  which  had  most  impressed  them, 
taking  in  new  beauties  whicli  they  had  not 
observed  before,  while  they  talked  or  were 
silent,  as  the  mood  suggested,  and  Flora 
filled  her  sketch-book  with  pretty  "  bits," 
and  Hugh  occasionally  withdrew  to  a  little 
distance  and  scribbled  i*i  his  note-book,  and 
Mrs.  Sandford,  sitting  near  while  the  others 
discursively  rambled,  accomplished  yards 
on  yards  of  her  endless  knitting. 

Their  last  day  was  Sunday,  when  they 
walked  down  to  the  pretty  little  church  at 
Clifton,  and  enjoyed  the  quiet  service,  and 
sat  most  of  the  afternoon  on  the  piazza,  of 
the  view  from  whence  they  never  tired.  It 
was  a  lovely  sunset,  and  they  walked  as  far 
as  Table  Rock  to  have  a  last  lingering  look 
at  the  superb  view  from  there  in  the  rich 
evening  glow.  As  they  watched  the  two 
magnificent  Falls  into  which  the  stream 
divides,  to  re-unite  below,  Kate  told  her 
cousin  Hugh  of  a  beautiful  simile  which  she 
had  seen  in  a  new  Canadian  book  called 
"The  New  Empire,"  in  which  the  author 
suggests  that  though  the  stream  of  the 
British  race  in  America  had  divided  like 


§m\x  the  '^ivtv  to  the  ^m. 


67 


that  sweeping  river  into  two  magnificent 
sections,  so,  like  it,  they  miglit  re-unite  in 
the  future  citizensliii)  of  a  world-wide 
Britain. 

"  And  then,  perhaps,  we  shall  go  on  to 
our  laureate's  dream  of  the  federation  of 
the  world  I  It  is  at  all  events  a  pleasant 
thought  to  finish  this  glorious  visit  with  ; 
and  I  suppose  this  is  our  farewell  look?" 

"  I  am  afraid  so,"  said  Kate.  "  We  shall 
not  have  much  time  in  the  morning  for  loi- 
tering. Let  us  be  glad  we  have  such  a  glor- 
ious sight  of  i^ — for  the  last ! " 

And  they  sat  silently  gazing,  as  if  they 
would  fain  have  prolonged  the  sunset  light. 
But  at  length  its  last  vestige  had  vanished, 
and  they  slowly  walked  back  to  the  hotel  in 
the  starlight,  while  the  grar  I  music  of  the 
"  Thunder  of  Waters  "  still  filled  their  ears, 
and  sounded  even  through  theii*  ckeiims. 


goujtt  i\xt  ^ivtt  to  iUt  ^a. 


CHAPTER  II. 


ON    THE    LAKE. 


"  Dreaming  again,  May  !  Are  you  saying 
a  last  fond  good-bye  to  the  Falls  ?  I'm 
afraid  you've  left  your  heart  up  there,"  said 
Mrs.  Sandford,  as  she  sniilhigly  laid  her  hand 
on  the  shoulder  of  her  niece,  who  stood 
alone  at  the  stern  of  the  steamboat,  silently 
gazing  in  the  direction  of  the  faint,  distant 
cloud  of  spray  that  rose,  just  traceable 
against  the  clear  blue  sky,  with  a  wistful 
regret  in  her  soft  gray  eyes — regret  at  part- 
ing from  that  wonderful  revelation  of  the 
sublime  which  had  so  powerfully  impressed 
her  imagination,  and  which,  just  at  present, 
overpowered  even  the  happy  anticipations 
of  the  further  revelations  of  beauty  and 
grandeur  that  still  lay  in  the  future  progress 
of  this  wonderful  voyage  down  the  glorious 
river  to  the  sea. 

They  had  a  delightful   mornmg    drive 


gowtt  the  '^ivtK  U  the  ^ea. 


59 


through  the  long  stretch  of  charming  rural 
scenery  that  lies  between  the  Falls  and 
Niagara,  studded  with  pretty  bowery  old 
homesteads,  long  green  lawns  flecked  with 
the  long  shadows  of  spreading  walnut  and 
tulip  trees,  and  dark  stately  pines,  through 
which  they  could  catch  ghmpses  of  old- 
fashioned,  pillared  piazzas,  or  of  old  gray 
farm  buildings,  till  at  last  they  reached  the 
picturesque  suburbs  of  the  quiet  little  town 
of  "  Niagara-on-the-Lake."  As  they  drove 
through  the  grove  of  fine  oaks  that  skirts 
the  edge  of  the  town,  and  admired  the 
pretty  little  church  of  St.  Mark's,  making 
a  charming  picture  in  the  foreground,  Mrs. 
Sandford,  who  in  her  youth  had  often  so- 
journed in  the  vicinity,  pointed  out  the  spot 
where  she  remembered  having  seen  the 
"hollow  beech-tree," — long  since  gone, — 
commemorated  by  Moore  in  his  poem  of 
"  The  Woodpecker,"  though,  it  must  be 
added,  that  this  same  beech-tree  has  been 
also  located  in  the  neighborhood  of  Kings- 
ton. IJeyond  the  oak  grove  lay  a  broad 
green  or  "  common  "  stretching  away  to  the 
wide  blue  lake,  on  which  the  Iroquois  used 
to  hold  an  annual  encampment  to  receive 


60 


§m\x  the  ^ivtx  to  the  ^tn. 


their  yearly  gifts  and  allowances.  To  the 
right  of  the  road,  just  above  the  river,  Mrs. 
Sandford  pointed  out  the  grassy  mound  and 
bit  of  massive  masonry,  which  is  all  that  is 
left  of  old  Fort  George,  with  its  eventful 
history,  and  a  little  fui'ther  on  the  tower  of 
Fort  Massissaga,  built  after  the  final  retreat 
of  the  American  troops  in  1813,  out  of  the 
ruins  of  the  original  town,  burned  by  the 
American  soldiers  on  a  dreary  December 
day.  No  traces  of  these  old  conflicts  can 
now  be  seen,  being  long  since  smoothed  over 
by  the  gentle  yet  strong  hand  of  time,  and 
a  beneficent  Nature.  Just  opposite  them, 
across  the  broad  blue-green  river,  which  has 
now  lost  all  traces  of  its  turbulent  passion, 
and  subsided  into  a  most  peaceful  and  easy- 
going stream,  they  could  see  the  white  walls 
of  the  American  Fort  Niagara,  which  had 
exchanged  so  many  rounds  of  cannonade 
with  its  opposite  neighbor.  May,  fresh 
from  reading  l^arkman,  was  eager  to  fix  the 
exact  spot  where  her  special  hero,  LaSalle, 
had  built  his  ill-fated  "  Griffin,"  the  first  sail- 
ing vessel  that  ever  floated  on  these  waters ; 
but  here  her  aunt  could  give  her  no  infor- 
mation.    Her  interest  was  entirely  in  later 


Jown  the  ^iver  io  the  jlta. 


61 


history,  and  she  pointed  out  the  place  where 
(ilovenior  Sinicoe  had  opened  the  first  l*ar- 
hament  of  Upper  Canada  and  delivered  liis 
first  speech,  with  all  the  usual  formalities, 
to  an  assembly  of  eight  members  and  two 
Legislative  Councilors  ;  after  which  the 
Governor,  with  his  two  Secretaries,  de- 
parted in  due  pomp  attended  by  a  guard  of 
honor  of  fifty  soldiers  from  the  old  fort ; 
and  also,  how,  with  less  ceremonial,  during 
the  warm  summer  days,  the  Governor  and 
his  Council  met  on  the  green  sward,  under 
the  spreading  trees,  and  arranged  the  affairs 
of  the  Provinces,  passing,  among  other  use- 
ful measures,  the  memorable  one  which  put 
an  end  forever  to  all  possibilities  of  negro 
slavery  in  the  young  colony,  thereby  saving 
it  from  much  future  difiieulty  and  dishonor. 
The  mention  of  this  last  su])ject  had 
brought  on  a  discussion  of  the  history  of 
slavery  in  the  American  Hepublic,  which 
much  interested  Hugh  IVIacnab,  whose  Celtic 
sympathies  had  been  rather  with  the  South 
in  the  great  struggle,  wiiile  Kate  was  a 
warm  partisan  of  the  North,  and  argued 
their  cause  so  well  that  her  cousin  had  at 
last  to  confess  himself  mistaken  on  severfi 


i 


62 


Down  the  Oliver  to  the  Jiea. 


important  points.  The  argument  lasted 
until  they  found  themselves  on  board  the 
Cibola,  getthig  up  her  steam  to  carry  them 
from  Niagara  and  its  glories.  While  Mrs. 
Sandford  had  been  dilating  on  the  attrac- 
tions of  Niagara-on-the-Lake  as  a  delight- 
ful and  quiet  health  resort,  May,  who  had 
been  very  quiet  during  the  drive,  had  stolen 
off  to  a  quiet  corner  in  the  stern,  where  the 
others  found  her  at  last,  sitting  very  still 
and  trying  to  fix  the  glorious  Falls  in  her 
memory  by  calling  up  once  again  the  picture 
of  them  as  she  had  seen  them  last. 

"So  this  is  Lake  Ontario!"  said  Hugh 
Macnab,  looking  around  with  keen  enjoy- 
ment. "  How  well  I  remember  stumbling 
over  the  name  at  school  in  my  geography 
lessons,  and  reading  with  awe  that  line  of 
Campbell's  about  the  tiger  roaming  along 
Ontario's  shores ! " 

" Oh,  did  he  really  say  that?"  said  Kate. 
"  Who  would  have  thought  a  great  poet 
would  have  made  such  a  mistake  in  his 
zoology  ?  " 

"Oh,  as  for  that,"  said  Hugh,  smiling, 
"poets,  especially  when  they  are  city-bred 
—  are  very  apt  to  make    mistakes  about 


n5,.^I^ 


Dowtt  the  givcv  to  the  ^ca. 


68 


natural  facts.  And  Ituskiu  had  not  written 
then,  you  know.  lint  what  a  magnificent 
lake!"  he  exclaimed  a^^ain,  iidialinj^;  the 
fresh,  bracing  l)reeze,  and  surveying  with 
delight  the  turquoise-blue  expanse  of  water, 
wliose  horizon-line  blended  softly  with  a 
pale  azure  sky,  banked  here  and  there  by 
delicate  violet  clouds  which  might  have 
passed  for  distant  mountains.  "  Over  there," 
he  added,  "one  could  imagine  it  the  ocean, 
at  least  on  one  of  the  rare  days  when  the 
ocean  sleeps  at  peace  !  " 

"  It  can  be  stormy  enough,  too,"  remarked 
]\Irs.  Sandford,  with  a  grimace,  called  forth 
by  some  vivid  remembrance  of  it  in  that 
aspect.  "  I've  been  on  it  when  even  good 
sailors  at  sea  have  had  to  give  in.  For,  you 
see,  the  short,  chopping  waves  are  more  try- 
ing than  the  big  ocean  rollers." 

"  And  how  long  shall  we  be  on  it,  after 
leaving  Toronto  ?  "  asked  Hugh,  with  some 
anxiety,  for  he  was  by  no  means  a  good 
sailor  in  such  circumstances. 

"  Oh,  you  can  have  fourteen  or  fifteen 
hours  of  it,  if  you  wish,"  replied  Kate,  mis- 
chievously, suspecting  the  reason  for  his 
question.    "  But  I've  been  planning  a  little 


64 


§own  the  W^ivtt  to  the  jleu. 


variation  that,  because,  of  course,  you  see 
notliing  of  the  country  in  traveUng  by  lake, 
and  I  want  you  to  see  some  of  our  really 
pretty  places  by  the  way ;  and  besides,  the 
Armstrongs,  our  Port  Hope  cousins,  want 
to  have  a  glimpse  of  you,  of  course,  and 
would  like  us  all  to  give  them  a  day,  at 
least,  6)1  route.  And  my  j)lan  is,  that  we 
ttake  the  lake  steamer  to  Port  Hope,  which 
we  reach  in  a  lovely  hour, — just  in  the 
gloaming,  as  Flora  would  say.  We  can  all 
stay  with  the  Armstrongs,  for  they  have  a 
good  large  house  and  some  of  the  family  are 
away  ;  and  we  can  have  some  very  pretty 
drives  about  Port  Hope  next  day.  And 
then,  the  following  morning,  we  can  take  the 
train,  and  go  by  the  "  Grand  Trunk "  to  a 
pretty  little  town  called  Belleville,  on  a 
charming  bay  called  the  Bay  of  Quinte,  on 
which  we  can  have  a  lovely  sail  down  to 
Kingston.  That  will  be  better  than  spend- 
ing the  night  on  the  lake — seeing  nothing  of 
the  scenery  and  having  to  turn  out  of  our 
berths  at  the  unearthly  hour  of  four  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  which  is  about  the  time  the 
steamboat  from  Torouto  arrives  at  that  good 
old  city." 


|lou*n  the  llivcv  U  the  ^ca. 


G5 


"  That's  Ji  sploiidid  plan,  Cousin  Kate," 
exclainuHl  boUi  ]Iu;^"h  and  Flora  at  once. 
"  What  a  schemer  you  are,  to  be  sure,"  con- 
tinued Hugh.  ''  I  don't  know  how  we  should 
ever  get  on  without  you." 

]\Iay  had  ])een  sitting  by,  silently  watch- 
ing the  little  group,  as  she  had  I'ather  a  way 
of  doing ;  Kate's  bright  face,  Hugh's  more 
reserved  and  sensitive  one, — yet  seeming  so 
much  more  animated  and  healthful  than 
when  she  liad  lirst  met  him,  oidy  a  few  days 
ago, — and  Flora's  sweet,  rosy,  good-humored 
countenance, — they  made  a  pleasant  picture. 
IIow  nuich  better  Hugh  seemed  already,  and 
how  nmch  he  seemed  to  depend  on  Kate! 
]\[ay  was  much  addicted  to  weaving  little  ro- 
mances for  the  people  about  her, — often  on 
very  slender  foundation, — and  she  had 
already  ])egun  to  weave  one  for  her  cousin. 
How  well  they  would  sui)plement  each  other, 
she  thought, — Kate's  quick,  ])ractical  sense 
and  Hugh's  more  contemplative  tendencies. 
From  which  it  will  be  seen  that  JNIay  was 
somewhat  given  to  theories,  as  well  as  to 
modern  fiction. 

IMeantinie,  they  had  been  swiftly  steaming 

across  the  azure  surface  of  the  lake,  and, 
5 


66 


§0Wti  the  Slvcr  ta  the  ^ca. 


even    by    stniiiiing   lier 


eyes, 


May  could 


barely  discern  the  faint  cIoikI  of  mist  that 
represented  so  much  to  her  inward  eye.  In- 
deed they  had  idl  begun  to  look  onward  for 
Toronto,  and  could  dimly  trace  the  long 
succession  of  buildings  and  spires  that  had 
begun  to  separate  itself  from  the  l)lue  line 
of  distant  shore  towards  which  they  were 
approaching. 

"  We  shall  be  there  very  soon  now,"  said 
Mrs.  Sandford,  rising  to  (collect  her  numer- 
ous satchels,  wraps,  etc.,  long  before  there 
was  any  occasion  for  it.  It  was  a  sort  of 
occupation,  and  she  had  relinquished,  for 
the  time,  the  sedative  of  her  knitting. 
While  she  was  thus  busied,  Kate  pointed 
out,  as  they  drew  nearer,  the  principal  land- 
marks, and  tlie  strangers  were  surprised  to 
find  so  extensive  and  imposing  a  city. 

"  That  low  bar  of  land,  there,"  she  said, 
somewhat  sliglitingly,  "is  what  they  call 
their  Island,  though  it  really  is  only  a  sand- 
bar cut  through.  I  suppose  it's  better  than 
nothing,  for  at  least  they  get  the  fresh  lake 
breezes ;  but  no  one  who  has  seen  our  beau- 
tiful 'Thousand  Islands'  in  the  St.  Law- 
rence could  be  content  with  that  for  an 


§mn  the  '^ivtt  io  the  jlea. 


67 


b 


islcind.  But  it  is  the  Coney  Island,  the 
Njintasket  Beach,  the  Saratoga,  of  To- 
ronto ! " 

"  Toronto  is  an  Indian  name,  I  suppose," 
said  Hugh.    "  Do  you  know  wliat  it  means  ?  " 

"  I  do,"  said  May,  when  Kjite  had  con- 
fessed her  ignorance.  "  At  least  I  have 
read  somewhere  that  it  means  '  The  Place 
of  Electing,'  from  having  been  the  point 
where  the  roving  bands  of  Indians  and  the 
French  traders  used  to  meet  in  the  old 
French  time.  At  flrst  it  was  only  a  little 
stockaded  fort,  called  Fort  Kouilly,  after  a 
French  Colonial  IVIinister,  I  think,  and  there 
the  traders  and  Indians  used  to  make  their 
bargains." 

"  And  after  that,"  said  Mrs.  Sandford,  "  it 
was  never  known  at  all  until  Governor  Sim- 
coe  made  it  the  first  capital,  instead  of 
Niagara,  which  was  too  near  the  frontier, 
and  called  it  York,  after  the  then  Duke  of 
Yorl-'  " 

A^hat  a  pity  !  "  exclaimed  Hugh.     "But 

L .      went  back  to  the  Indian  name,  after  all ! " 

V  es,"  replied  Mrs.  Sandford,  "they  got 

tired    of  hearing  it    called   '  muddy  little 

York,'  and    hanged  back  to  Toronto  about 


68 


§mti  the  Slvet  U  the  ^m* 


fifty  years  ago;  and  Toronto  it  has  re- 
mained ever  since.  My  fatli  'r  has  often 
told  me  about  the  first  Parliament  buildings 
here,  and  the  Vice-Regal  residence,  which 
the  K^uecn  City'  would  not  think  good 
enough  now  for  a  school  building.  At  the 
time  when  it  was  made  the  capital,  the 
woods  clothed  the  shore  down  to  the  water's 
edge,  and  there  were  only  two  wigwams 
here,  in  which  lived  two  families  of  Missis- 
sauga  Indians,  from  whom  the  whole  site  of 
the  city  is  said  to  have  been  bought  for 
ten  shillings  sterling^  with  some  beads, 
blankets,  and,  I'm  afraid,  a  little  fire-water 
thrown  in." 

"  Well,"  said  Hugh,  "  everything  is  rela- 
tive; I  suppose  that  represented  a  small 
fortune  to  them,  and  it  has  taken  a  good 
w^hile  to  get  the  'unearned  incrment'  up  to 
its  present  value." 

*'  I  don't  understand  your  new-fangled 
terms,"  said  Mrs.  Sandford.  "  There  weren't 
any  of  them  in  my  day.  Now,  make  haste 
and  get  your  traj)s  together,  for  we'll  be  at 
the  dock  in  two  minutes.  Look  for  the 
Arlington  carriage,  Hugh,  that's  where 
we're  going ;  I  think  you  will  find  it  there/' 


§0wu  the  ^Ixva  to  the  ^ea. 


69 


And  in  a  few  minutes  tliey  were  all 
Btowed  into  the  carriage,  and  driven  rapidly 
away  from  the  noisy  dock  to  the  quiet 
family  hotel  on.  King  Street,  which  seemed 
an  inviting  resting  place  in  the  very  warm 
afternoon.  They  felt  the  heat  all  the  more 
after  the  cool  lake  breeze  they  had  been  en- 
joying ;  and  they  were  all  tired  enough  with 
their  early  start  to  enjoy  a  siesta  before 
their  luncheon,  which  was  also  much  appre- 
ciated in  its  turn.  The  afternoon  was  to  be 
devoted  to  seeing  Toronto,  and  a  large 
double  hack  was  soon  at  the  door,  in  which 
the  whole  party  ensconced  themselves  for  a 
leisurely  drive  about  the  busy  and  beautiful 
city.  Kate,  as  usual,  directed  the  route, 
and  Hugh  sat  on  the  bor  beside  the  driver, 
where  he  could  bear  all  the  information 
given  behind,  as  well  as  secure  some  more 
on  his  own  account  from  the  communicative 
charioteer. 

Tliey  drove  first  eastward,  along  the  fine 
stretch  of  King  Street,  admiring  on  their 
way  the  pretty,  shady  grounds  of  Govern- 
ment House,  and  tlie  massive  Norman  archi- 
tecture of  St.  Andrew's  Church  opposite,  in 
which  Hugh,  as  a  Scotchman,  took  a  special 


70 


§0mx  the  W^xxtt  t0  the  ^m* 


interest.  Passing  on,  along  the  favorite  re- 
sort of  Toronto  promenaders,  they  admired 
the  stately  rows  of  buildings,  thougli  llugli 
and  Flora  protested  against  the  monotonous 
white  brick,  so  new  to  their  English  eyes. 
They  turned  up  the  busy  thoroughfare  of 
Yonge  Street,  and,  after  a  few  blocks,  left 
the  region  of  shops  and  turned  aside  into 
the  cool  shadiness  of  Jarvis  and  Sherbourne 
Streets,  with  their  handsome  residences, 
surrounded  by  well-kept  grounds;  and  so 
up  to  the  rural  quiet  of  Bloor  Street.  They 
crossed  the  fine  bridge  over  the  ravine  at 
Rosedale,  and  admired  the  picturesque  bits 
of  scenery  lying  about  that  romantic  spot. 
Then,  after  following  liloor  Street  into  the 
new  section  of  the  city  that  has  grown  up  so 
rapidly  about  Spadina  Avenue,  they  turned 
into  the  beautiful  "Queen's  Park,"  and 
drove  through  its  shady  precincts,  the  Scot- 
tish strangers  surveying  with  great  interest 
the  new  academic  buildings  that  are  spring- 
ing up  about  the  University  as  a  center. 
At  the  University,  of  course,  they  halted 
for  a  closer  inspection  of  the  beautiful  build- 
ing, which,  as  Kate  remarked,  had  just 
risen,  Phcenix-like,  from  the  conflagration 


§mn  the  '^xvtv  to  the  $a. 


71 


that  had,  a  short  time  ago,  left  it  a  mass  of 
magnificent  ruins. 

"  You  see  they  are  building  the  library 
quite  separate,  over  there,  now,"  Kate  saicF, 
pointing  to  where  the  graceful  library 
building  was  beginning  to  show  its  beauty 
of  design.  "It  is  really  wonderful,"  she 
added,  "  how  generous  people  everywhere 
have  been  in  restoring  the  loss  of  the 
books." 

^t  Yes,"  replied  Hugh.  "  And  I  have  no 
doubt  the  University  will  be  the  gainer  in 
the  end,  as  the  t7'ash  will  have  been  all  dis- 
posed of,  and  the  scientific  books  will  be  all 
new  and  up  to  date.  But  I  can  imagine 
what  a  catastrophe  it  must  have  been  at  the 
time.  It  made  quite  a  sensation,  even 
among  us  students  in  Edinburgh.  Though, 
apart  from  the  associations,  I'm  afraid  some 
of  us  wouldn't  have  been  sorry  to  have  had 
our  old  building  and  old  books  renewed  in 
the  same  way  !  It's  too  bad  for  a  Scotch 
university  to  be  eclipsed,  architecturally,  by 
a  Canadian  one !  " 

"  Ah,  well,  you  see,  we  had  the  improved 
taste  of  this  age  to  guide  us,"  remarked 
I^te. 


72 


gowtt  the  %ivtx  to  the  ^m. 


"  And  the  taste  of  a  Scotchman,  at  that, 
if  I  am  not  mistaken,"  added  Hugh. 

"  Oh,  yes,  we  must  grant  you  the  credit  of 
Sir  Daniel  Wilson  and  his  Edinburgh 
training.  But  look  at  this  fine  gateway. 
Fortunately  it  was  not  injured  by  the  lire, 
and  is  just  as  it  was.  I  think  it's  the  finest 
bit  of  the  building." 

Hugh  admired  it  all  so  enthusiastically 
that  May,  who  had  of  course  seen  very  little 
of  fine  architecture,  was  glad  to  have  her 
own  admiration  endorsed  by  one  who  had 
seen  so  much  more.  And,  happily,  they  en- 
countered a  stray  professor,  well  known  to 
Mrs.  Sandford,  who  insisted  on  looking  up 
the  janitor,  and  personally  conducting  them 
through  the  interior  of  the  building,  wljich 
the  tourists  were  very  anxious  to  see,  and 
which  Hugh  inspected  with  the  critical  eye 
of  a  student,  approving  of  the  various  im- 
provements everywhere  introduced,  and 
only  regretting  the  lost  glories  of  the  Con- 
vocation Ilall,  on  which  the  professor  re- 
gretfully descanted. 

"But  we  must  wait  for  some  Canadian 
millionaire  to  give  us  a  Canadian  Christ's 
Churcli,"  he  said,  smiling. 


§0ivtt  ttte  %\vtt  U  iixt  $m. 


78 


"Indeed,  I  think  it  is  wonderful,  as  it  is^ 
for  a  new  country,"  said  Ilugli,  as  they  ex- 
changed a  cordial  adieu,  Hugh  promising  in 
return  to  show  him  Edinhurgh  University 
if  he  would  loolc  him  up  over  there. 

From  the  University  they  drove  down  the 
fine  shady  avenue,  to  show  the  strangers,  a 
little  way  from  the  University,  on  a  little 
knoll  in  its  picturesque  grounds,  a  monu- 
ment to  the  young  volunteers  who  fell  at 
Kidgeway.  Hugh  and  Plora  had  already 
heard  the  story  of  the  Fenian  eineute  that 
caused  so  much  temporary  excitement,  and 
tliey  looked  with  respectful  sympathy  at 
the  monument  so  justly  raised  to  these  gal- 
lant young  men,  as  true  patriots  as  if  tlie 
licld  on  which  they  fell  had  been  one  of  the 
historic  battle-grounds  of  the  world.  The 
monument  to  George  r»rown  also  claimed 
ihc'r  attention  for  a  few  moments,  and  1  f  ugh 
triumphantly  declaied  to  Kate,  that,  so  far 
as  he  C(mld  see,  all  the  great  leaders  of 
Canada  Jiad  been  his  fellow-countrymen. 

Then  they  continued  their  drive  down  the 
fine  avenue,  past  the  School  of  Technology, 
and  the  great,  new  Parliament  buildings, 
fast  rising  to  completion,  and  down  the 


74  gowtt  i\\t  %X'mv  U  the  $ti\. 

alley  of  chestmils  on  to  wliicli,  under  the 
spreading  liors(vcliestnnts,  leads  down 
Qneen  Street,  Avliere  they  duly  admired  the 
ehissie  stateliness  of  Osgoode  Hall, — the  law 
eenter  of  Ontario.  Then  they  returned  to 
King  Street  onee  more,  and  followed  its 
eoarse  westward  for  some  miles,  to  see  the 
former  site  of  the  Old  Fort  near  the  Exhi- 
bition building's,  and  the  various  great  in- 
stitutions of  Toronto  along  its  line.  The 
old  red  briek  building  of  Upper  Canada 
College, — one  of  the  oldest  grannnar  scl.  ^^Is 
in  Canada :  the  handsome  front  of  Trinu> 
College,  farther  on,  in  its  beautiful  park, 
the  grounds  and  buildings  of  which  Hugh 
would  fain  have  stopped  to  explore ;  the 
great  gloomy-looking,  high-walled  inelosure 
of  the  Lunatic  Asylum,  with  its  saddening 
associations;  and  then,  still  sadder  sight, 
the  grim  Central  J^rison  and  the  Mercer 
Keformatory  for  women.  A  somewhat 
more  cheerful  object  of  contemplation  was 
the  large  pile  of  buildings  that  form  the 
beautiful  Home  for  Incurables,  which  Kate 
declared  was  quite  an  ideal  institution,  at 
least  so  far  as  its  plan  and  appointments  were 
concerned.    "  But  it  is  a  rather  melancholy 


gowtt  the  '^ivcv  to  the  ^cix. 


76 


3 


e 


place  too,"  she  adiuittcd,  "tlioug-li,  if  people 
are  incurable,  it  \f^  nice  to  know  that  they 
will  be  comfortably  provided  for !  " 

"  I  don't  believe  much  in  institutions," 
said  Flora,  m  lier  soft  voice  and  pretty 
Scotch  accent ;  "  I  would  rat'  er  have  one  of 
the  plainest  little  loonis,  in  a  wee,  real 
home,  than  the  most  luxurious  one  in  these 
great  institutions!"  and  May  warmly  en- 
dorsed the  sentiment. 

"  Still,  if  people  can't  have  even  that," 
said  Ilugii,  "it's  well  there  (n-c  instituticms. 
I  nmst  say  myself,  that  T  don't  care  nnich 
for  doing  things  by  wholesale,  so  T  for  one 
could  never  be  a  socialist.  Things  wei'o 
better  planned  originally.  'He  setteth  the 
solitary  in  families.'" 

"That  was  long  ago,  my  dear  boy,"  re- 
inai'ked  ]\Irs.  Sandford.  "It's  getting  to  be 
an  old  world,  and  a  cold  world,  too,  I  fear." 

"Oh,  I  hope  not,  Aunt  Bella.  The  old 
order  faileth,  giving  place  to  new,  only  the 
new  hasn't  got  well  worked  out  yet." 

On  their  way  back  they  took  a  look  at 
the  Old  Fort  ]>arracks,  and  at  the  site  of 
the  old  French  Fort,  near  which  the  exhi- 
bition buildings,  or  "  Fair  grounds,"  yearly 


76 


§0wn  the  ^xvtx  to  the  J*e». 


'4 


present  such  a  striking  contrast  to  what 
must  have  })een  the  silence  and  loneUness 
of  the  spot  wiicn  it  first  became  a  British 
settlement.  And  the  cool  lake  breeze  was 
most  refreshing  after  the  heat  of  the  July 
day,  and  sent  them  back  to  the  hotel,  rein- 
forced for  dinner,  after  which  they  were 
not  disposed  to  do  more  than  sit  quietly  on 
one  of  tlie  balconies  of  the  hotel,  Mrs.  Sand- 
ford  knitting  with  great  satisfaction,  and 
the  others  amusing  themselves  with  observ- 
ing the  ever-varying  line  of  pedestrians 
constantly  passing  to  and  fro  on  their  way 
from  places  of  evening  entertainment. 

Next  mornhig  all  the  junior  members  of 
the  party  started  for  a  ramble  on  foot, 
going  first  along  King  Street  and  looking  in 
a  more  leisurely  fashion  at  the  vjirious 
handsome  public  buildings,  the  banks,  the 
great  newspaper  offices,  a  little  off  King 
Street,  the  fine  post-office  on  Adelaide 
Street,  the  attractive  picture  and  book- 
stores, and  then  turning  up  Church  Street, 
pursued  their  way  to  the  Normal  School 
buildings,  where  Kate  exhibited  to  her  com- 
panions with  some  pride,  the  various  educa- 
tional appliances  of  that  center  of  the  pub- 


JottJtt  the  llivct  to  the  ^c». 


77 


lie  school  education  of  the  province,  the 
liandsonie,  and  even  luxurious  lecturc- 
I'ooins,  class-rooms,  library,  ai:d  last,  l)ut 
not  least,  the  spacious  and  delightful 
Kindergarten,  a  paradise  of  infantine  edu- 
cation, which  was  Kate's  especial  delight, 
and  which  to  Hugh  and  Flora  was  a 
charming  novelty  in  "school-keeping." 
After  that  they  continued  their  walk  in  a 
desultory  fashion  along  the  shady  streets 
of  that  quarter  of  the  city,  admiring  the 
handsome  churches  and  villa-like  resi- 
dences which  there  abound.  Then  they 
crossed  the  I^ark  to  take  one  more  look  at 
the  beautiful  University  l)uildings,  and 
came  back  to  the  Arlington  by  the  way 
of  St.  George  Street  with  its  fine  resi- 
dences, and  Spadina  Avenue,  just  in  time 
for  an  early  liuicheon  before  prepiiring  for 
their  departure  by  the  good  steamer  Cor- 
siaoi. 

The  early  afternoon  found  them  all  on 
the  deck  of  the  steamer,  gliding  swiftly 
out  of  Toronto  Bay,  leaving  in  the  distance 
tlic  long  mass  of  fine  buildings  that  ex- 
tends along  Front  Street  and  gives  the 
stranger    some    idea    of    the    wealth    and 


78 


goivu  the  Jlivcr  to  the  <#cu. 


Imsiness  of  Toronto;  piisb  the  long  sand- 
bar, which  at  once  protects  Toronto  Har- 
bor and  serves  as  a  "health   resort"  and 


(( 


j» 


mucfjiature "  for  so  many  Torontonians. 
Very  soon,  as  the  steamer  i)l(mglied  her 
way  througli  the  l)lue  lake,  calm  as  a  mill- 
pond,  Toronto  had  become  invisible,  and  the 
high  land  of  Scarboro'  Heights  rose  to  the 
left,  while  to  the  right  the  blue  horizon  line 
again  reminded  the  travelers  of  the  sea. 
Presently,  there  arose  the  fresh,  bracing 
afternoon  breeze,  most  grateful  to  the 
strangers  especially,  who  had  felt  the  heat 
at  Toronto  rather  oppressive.  It  was  a  de- 
licious afternoon,  and  as  the  sparkling  and 
quivering  golden  pathway  tlirown  on  the 
waters  by  the  westering  sun  showed  them 
that  it  was  passing  away  all  too  soon, 
Hugh  declared  that  if  he  lived  in  Canada 
he  should  want  to  spend  most  of  the  sum- 
mer on  a  yacht  on  such  halcyon  waters. 

"  Yes,"  said  Mrs.  Sandford,  "  yachting  is 
very  well  in  summer  weather,  when  it  is 
calm  like  this,  but  it's  dangerous  at  best 
on  these  great  lakes  where  sudden  squalls 
are  apt  to  rise  at  any  moment.  Don't  you 
remember,  Kate ^^ 


5ouu  the  stiver  fof  the  ^tix. 


79 


"Oh,  yes,  Auntie,"  Ivjite  interposed,  hur- 
riedly, "don't  talk  about  it  now.  It's  too 
sad.  Ikit,  IIuj^li,  how  would  you  like  to 
'  paddle  your  own  canoe  '  all  the  way  down 
from  Toronto  to  the  foot  of  the  lake,  as 
tlu!y  used  to  do  in  the  hrave  days  of 
old?" 

"  I  shouldn't  fancy  any  one  would  try 
such  an  experiment  in  these  days  of  rax)id 
locomotion,"  said  Flora. 

"  Indeed,  some  people  would^  and  think 
it  grejit  fun,"  replied  Kate.  "  A  friend  of 
ours,  with  his  wife  and  little  girl,  paddled 
down  the  whole  way  to  the  St.  liawrence 
one  summer,  just  for  the  pleasure  of  it. 
And  his  wife — just  as  the  s(piaws  used  to 
do — helped  him  with  the  paddling." 

"  And  how  long  did  it  take  them  ?  "  asked 
Hugh. 

"About  ten  or  eleven  days.  And  they 
kept  a  log,  or  at  least  a  diary  of  each  day's 
events,  for  future  edification.  Of  course, 
they  stopped  over  night  at  some  place 
where  they  could  sleep  comfortably  and 
have  a  good  breakfast  to  start  with." 

"  Oh,  I  should  think  that  might  be  very 
pleasant.    But,  in  '  the  brave  days  of  old,' 


80 


Joan  the  |livct  ta  the  J*ea. 


thoy  hiul  not  any  of  theso  conveniences,  and 
I  snppose  they  did  not  tal<e  it  so  leisurely." 

"  I*()()i'  LaSalle  had  niany  a  hard  paddle 
U[)  and  down  tiie  lakes  in  all  sorts  of 
weather,"  said  May.  "Jt  makes  one  shud- 
der to  thiidt  of  some  of  ids  voyages,  and 
with  so  many  har(lshi[)s,  too!" 

«  Well,"  siud  Hunh,  «  I  think  I  prefer  the 
more  expeditious  way,  where  there's  no 
particular  scenery  to  tempt  one." 

"  Oh,  of  course,  there  isn't  much  of  what 
y(Mi  would  call  scenery  along  this  coast," 
said  Kate.  "  Nothing  like  what  there  is 
along  Lake  Superior  or  Lake  Huron.  But 
still,  if  you  were  to  keep  close  along  shore, 
there  are  many  pretty  little  '  bits '  to  enjoy; 
and  just  think  what  a  delicious  lotus-eathig 
life  it  would  be." 

"Except  for  the  paddler,"  interposed 
Hugh. 

"Oh,  indeed,  you  don't  know  how  the 
paddlers  get  to  love  it !  There  seems  a 
sort  of  fascination  about  it,  and  it  gets  to 
be  a  passion  with  them.  There  is  much 
more  interest  and  variety  about  it  than 
about  rowing.  Do  you  know,  there's  a 
great  American  Canoe  Association  to  which 


§om%  the  Jlivcr  to  the  ,^fa. 


81 


lUiiiiy  Canadians  belong,  which  has  its 
'lut'cts'  every  summer,  at  some  pleasant 
spot,  with  good  boating.  Tliey  have  all 
sorts  of  exercises,  races,  canoe-gynniastics, 
prize  contests,  and  a  splendid  time  gener- 
iilly.  And  ladies  belong  to  it  as  well  as 
men.  This  year  it  is  to  be  held  at  one  of 
the  '  Thousand  Islands ; '  and,  by  the  way, 
I  shouldn't  wonder  if  you  might  have  a 
pjlitnpse  of  it.  You  know  we  are  all  invited 
to  spend  a  few  days  at  the  summer  cottage 
of  a  friend  there,  with  whom  I  have  often 
stayed,  and  it  isn't  very  far  from  where 
tliey  have  the  Canoe  Camp ;  so  we  may  just 
mimnge  to  have  a  look  at  it." 

"  That  would  be  charming!  I  should  like 
that,"  exclaimed  Hugh  and  Flora  both  to- 
gether ;  while  May  began  to  think  that  too 
many  delights  were  clustering  about  this 
wonderful  expedition,  and  that  she  should 
suddenly  awake  to  And  it  all  a  dream  ;  and 
Cinderella  at  home  again,  .'imid  her  dusters 
and  lier  stocking-mending — as  if  there  were 
no  Niagara  and  no  "  Thousand  Islands  "  in 
the  world. 

Meantime,  they  were  ploughing  their  way 

through  the  gleaming  blue  and  gold  waves, 
6 


82 


§om\  the  giver  U  the  Jfea. 


with  water  and  sky  meeting  at  the  horizon 
Hne,  all  around  them,  save  for  a  hlue  strip 
of  shore  to  their  left,  while  the  steering  was 
done  by  compass,  a  new  experience  for  the 
strangers,  on  an  inland  lake. 

"  1  don't  wonder,"  Hugh  remarked,  "now 
that  I've  seen  this  lake  for  mystilf,  I  don't 
wonder  that  the  iJritish  Foreign  Office,  long 
ago,  rhould  have  sent  out  water-casks  for 
the  frigates  here,  as  you  were  telling  me. 
It  is  hard  to  realiz',  that  this  great  blue  ex- 
panse is  really /rt'.s7<  water."  And  May  felt 
delight(Ml  that  she  now  could  the  better 
picture  to  herself  what  the  .sc(/,  was  actually 
like. 

Ikit  the  soft  shadows  of  evening  were 
falling  on  the  woods  and  hills  before  them, 
as  the  steamer  glided  into  the  beautiful  har- 
bor of  Port  Hope — a  noted  harbor  even  in 
the  old  Indian  times,  under  the  name  of 
(4anevaske.  The  plaoid  water,  afire  with 
rich  sunset  tints,  and  smootli  as  a  mirror, 
was  dotted  with  the  skiffs  of  pleasure  seek- 
ers, and  the  pretty  little  town  looked  most 
attractive,  as,  half  in  shadow,  it  nestled  in  its 
picturesque  valley  and  straggled  up  the 
sides  of  its  protecting  hills.    The  long  rail- 


Sown  the  Itivct  to  the  ^eju 


83 


t}f 


way  viiuluct  seemed  to  lend  it  an  additional 
cliiirni,  and  Flora  JVIeXal)  appealed  to  iier 
l)rother  whetlier  it  were  not  more  like  one 
of  their  old-country  towns,  than  any  they 
hud  yet  seen.  On  the  pier  were  a  number 
of  strollers,  who  had  come  out  to  catch  the 
evening  breeze,  or  to  see  the  arrival  of  the 
daily  boat ;  and,  among  them,  Kate's  (juick 
eye  easily  recognized  Nellie  Armsti'ong  and 
her  brother,  who  gave  them  all  a  warm  wel- 
come, and  speedily  packed  them  into  a  dog- 
cart and  a  light-covered  carriage,  in  which 
they  were  driven  through  the  shady,  sloping 
streets  to  the  pretty  bowery  home  of  the 
Armstrongs,  where  another  kind  welcome 
awaited  them  from  the  host  and  hostess, 
and  where  an  inviting  supper  was  laid  out 
in  a  cool,  pleasant  dining-room,  opening  on 
a  velvety  lawn  overshadowed  by  a  great 
"  bass-wood  "  or  linden  tree.  To  May  it  all 
seemed  like  a  delightful  romance,  nor  tlid 
she  mind  a  bit  the  soft  rain,  which,  during 
^he  night,  she  heard  through  her  dreams, 
pattering  on  the  great  leafy  bough  with 
that  peculiarly  tranquilizing  effect  which  a 
soft  summer  rain  has  on  the  sleepy  listener 
at  night. 


84 


gottJtt  the  ^ivcv  to  the  ^ea» 


The  inorning  was  wet  and  misty,  but 
their  host  dechired  the  hitter  to  be  a  good 
sign.  And  so  it  pi'oved,  for  by  the  time  the 
carriages,  ordered  for  a  long  drive,  were  at 
the  door,  the  mists  were  rolling  gently  np 
the  sides  of  the  hills,  givhig  to  the  charm- 
ing landscape  just  the  touch  of  poetry  that 
could  best  enhance  its  charm.  It  was  a  de- 
lightful drive,  taking  in  most  of  the  hills 
around  the  town,  and  the  line  view  from 
the  one  called  "  Fort  Orton "  was  particu- 
larly enjoyed  by  the  travelers. 

"It's  very  like  a  i)retly  English  or  Scotch 
view,  said  Flora.  "Not  what  one  is  apt  to 
imagine  Canauuui  scenery." 

"  Well,  you  see,  this  is  one  of  the  oldest 
settled  parts  of  Canad.i,"  said  Mr.  Arm- 
strong. "The  whole  vicinity  is  associated 
with  the  early  I'^rench  Missions  to  the  In- 
dians, and  with  some  of  the  early  French 
and  Indian  wars.  There  was  an  old  Sulpi- 
cian  Mission  at  the  Indian  village  on  the 
very  site  of  Port  Hope — a  mission  whose 
director  was  the  Abbe  Fcnelon,  the  first  ex- 
plorer of  this  lake  shore,  and  no  other  than 
a  brother  of  the  celebrated  Fenelon,  who 
was  tht  distinguished  Archbishop  of  Cam- 


gown  the  giver  to  the  ^tix. 


85 


bray,  and  instructor   of    the  Dauphin    of 
France." 

"And  who  wrote   'Telcmaque?'"    said. 
Kate. 

"Precisely.  And  while  he  was  writing 
it  for  his  royal  pupil,  his  brother,  devoted  to 
the  spiritual  good  of  the  poor  ignorant  In- 
dians, was  trying  to  teach  the  Catechism 
and  the  Lord's  Prayer  to  the  little  Indian 
chliw:::.  and  enduring  among  the  lierce 
Sei-"i  t^  hardships  far  greater  than  those 
through  which  his  brother*  was  leading 
Teleiiiaque.  He  was  a  ^/eal  hero,  that  Abbe 
Foiielon." 

"  I  must  read  up  those  old  French  Mis- 
sions," said  Hugh.  "  They  seem  to  be  won- 
derfully rich  in  heroic  deeds." 

"  They  are,  indeed,"  said  Mr.  Armstrong, 
'but  I  wish  you  had  time  to  go  l)ack  to  the 
neighborhood  of  Uice  Lake  and  Peterboro', 
with  its  lovely  little  lakes.  By  the  way, 
there  is  a  pretty  waterfall  thereabout, 
named  after  this  Abl)e  Fenelon,  and  the 
whole  country  is  full  of  associations,  not 
only  with  those  old  French  explorers  and 
missionaries,  but  also  with  the  almo^'t 
equally  gallant    tight    of    the    old    IJ.   E. 


86 


§Ofwn  iU  %\vtv  io  the  ^«a. 


Loyalist  settlers,  with  hardsliips  and  pri- 
vation." 

"  And  what  is  a  '  U.  E.  Loyalist?' "  asked 
Hugh.  "I've  seen  the  expression  before, 
but  iiave  no  idea  what  it  means." 

"We  should  not  expect  you  to  under- 
stand our  Canadian  terms,  without  explana- 
tion," said  Mr.  Armstrong,  laughingly. 
"  Well,  a  IT.  E.  Loyalist  means  one  of  those 
first  settlers  of  Canada  who  w^ere  driven  to 
take  refuge  here  at  the  time  of  the  Ameri- 
can revolution,  because  they  would  not  give 
up  their  allegiance  to  the  British  Empire, 
and  so  they  left  their  farms  and  possessions 
behind,  and  came  to  settle  in  the  wilder- 
ness under  the  '  old  flag.' 

"Oh,  T  see,"  said  Hugh,  "i  have  heard 
that  many  did  so,  but  did  not  know 
that  they  were  called  by  that  particular 
name." 

"  Well,  they  gave  good  ]  )roof  of  their  loy- 
alty,'  said  Mrs.  Sandford;  "for  many  of 
them  had  ^.retty  hard  limes.  JMrs.  Moodie's 
experiences  Avhich  she  records  in  lier  book, 
'Houghing  it  in  the  IJush,'  were  endured 
in  this  section  of  the  country.  I  nuist  try 
to  get  the  bo(jk  for  you  to  read.     You  know 


til 
or 


gown  the  lliicv  ta  tUc  ^m* 


87 


she  was  a  sister  of  JNIiss  Agnes  Strickland, 
and  she  and  her  sister,  Mrs.  Traill,  may  be 
called  our  pioneer  authoresses,  though  we 
can  hardly  call  tlieni  Canadians." 

"  Yes,  and  this  is  a  neighborhood  full  of 
Indian  legend,  too,"  said  Mr.  Armstrong ; 
"we  have  a  village  called  Hiawatha,  not 
many  nnles  from  here,  and  a  '  Minnehaha,' 
'  laughing  water,'  in  the  same  neighbor- 
liood;  and  not  far  from  either  dwelt  the 
magician  Megissogwon,  who,  'guarded  by 
the  Ijlack  pitch- water,  sends  fever  from  the 
marshes,'  as,  indeed,  many  a  pale-face  vic- 
tim of  fever  and  ague  has  known  to  his 
cost.  And  old  Indian  battlefields  have  been 
discovered  hereabout,  besides  the  connec- 
tion of  this  point  with  warlike  expeditions 
between  white  men  in  later  times." 

"And  so  we  can  never  get  away  from 
'old  unhappy  things  and  battles  long  ago,' 
said  Hugh,  moralizingly. 

"  Well,  let  us  give  them  the  go-by,  just 
now,"  said  Kate  and  Flora  together.  "  On 
such  a  lovely  evening,  we  don't  want  to 
think  of  battles  and  unhappy  things, — old 
or  new." 

"Only,  somehow,  they  seem  to  add  the 


88 


§0\xi\  i\xt  '^xvtv  io  the  ^ea. 


touch  of  human  interest,  even  if  it  be  a  sad 
one,"  rejohiecl  Hugh,  who  was  so  much  in- 
terested in  all  he  could  learn  of  the  past 
history  of  the  country  that  Kate  laughingly 
chaffed  him  about  the  book  or  magazine  arti- 
cle he  must  be  going  to  write  when  he  got 
home.  However,  the  chaffing  had  no  effect 
on  his  thirst  for  knowledge,  and  when  they 
returned  in  the  lovely  sunnner  twiliglit, — 
more  than  ready  for  the  substantial  repast 
which  awaited  them,  notwithstanding  the; 
luncheon  they  had  enjoyed  on  the  way, — 
Hugh  eagerly  set  to  work  thereafter,  to  de- 
vour, in  addition,  all  the  scraps  of  informa- 
tion which  Mr.  Armstrong  hunted  up  for 
him  among  the  historical  works  in  his 
library.  But  his  attention  was  som(3what 
distracted  by  the  songs  which  Nellie  and 
Flora  anil  May  were  sniging,  sometimes  in 
concert,  sometimes  separately,  at  the  piano 
in  the  adjoining  drawing-room.  Plora  de- 
lighted them  all  with  the  sweetness  and 
pathos  with  which  she  sang  some  of  the 
"  Songs  from  the  North,"  which  the  others 
had  not  previously  heard.  They  gave  her 
an  enthusiastic  encore  for  the  spirited  s.>ng 
"  Over  the  Hills  to  Skye,"  and  at  last,  after 


goivu  the  ^xvtt  ta  the  ^a. 


89 


hearing  it  two  or  three  times,  they  all  joined 
in  tlie  chorus. 

"  Speed,  bonnie  boat,  like  a  bird  on  the  wing, 
Onward  !  tlu^HailorHcry, 
And  carry  the  lad  who  was  born  to  1)0  King, 
Over  the  hills  to  Hkye." 

And  they  were  almost  as  much  fascinated 
by  the  chorus  of  the  otluu',  "The  lionnie, 
lionnie  iianks  of  Loch-I.omond,"  and  sang* 
again  and  agsiin  the  mournful  refrain  : — 

"Oh,  ye'U  tak'the  high  road,  an'  I'll  tak' the  low 
road, 
"  An'  I'll  be  in  Scotland  afore  ye  ; 
But  I'll  never,  never  see  my  true  love  again 

On   the   bonnie,    bonnie    banks    of    Loch- 
Lomond  ! " 


(( 


You  see,  you  can't  get  away  from  the 
'old  unliuppy  things,'"  said  Hugh,  at  last 
leaving  his  hooks  and  coming  to  join  the 
group  at  the  piano.  "  It's  always  the  same 
two  mhior  chords  we  have  in  every  })athetic 
song  or  story  —  love  and  war  —  in  some 
form ! " 

"  Yes,"  said  Mr.  Armstrong,  "  see  how  the 
American  war  struck  into  life  the  latent 


90 


Joan  the  %X'\\:x\'  to  the  ^ciu 


possibilities  of  pathos  jukI  poetry  in  the 
practical  Aiuerican  peo})le." 

"  Oil,  by  the  way,  Kate,"  said  Nellie, 
"don't  you  remember  that  ]Mr.  Wiuthrop 
we  met  at  Old  Orchard  last  summer,  with 
whom  you  used  to  have  so  many  arguments 
about  the  North  and  South,  and  all  the 
rest  of  itV  1  think  he  made  a  convert  of 
you." 

"  Nonsense !  "  said  Kate  ;  "  but  what  of 
him  ?  " 

"Oh,  he  called  here  two  or  three  weeks 
ago  in  the  course  of  a  tour  he  was  making, 
and  he  asked  most  particularly  for  you.  I 
really  believe  he  was  going  to  look  you  up; 
and  you  were  away  from  home.  What  a 
pity ! " 

"Indeed,  I  think  it  very  unlikely  that  he 
would  do  anything  of  the  kind.  It  would 
be  quite  out  of  his  way,"  said  Kate,  nonchal- 
antly. 

"  Well,  I  do  think  he  meant  to  do  so,"  re- 
turned Nellie.  "  He  made  most  particular 
inquiries  about  just  how  to  get  there." 

"I  shall  certainly  be  very  much  sur- 
prised to  hear  that  he  took  any  such  trouble. 
Was  he  as  argumentative  as  ever  ?  " 


I 


Ijawn  the  Jftitcr  to  the  ^ca. 


91 


e 

Ll 


»_ 


r 


3. 


"No,  for  most  of  his  time  here  was  spent 
in  niiikin;^  tlie  iiuiuiries  1  referred  to!"  re- 
torted Nellie,  rather  misehievously.  "  I 
only  wonder  you  liave  not  stumbled  across 
him  in  tlie  course  of  your  travels." 

Ilngh  had  looked  up  with  ii  sudden  air  of 
interest.  "  I  noticed  tlr  name  of  Winthrop 
in  the  register  of  iheCli/fo/t,  only  a  few  days 
before  we  arrived." 

"Then  we  just  missed  him,"  said  Kate, 
in  an  indifferent  tone,  thougli  with  a  some- 
what heightened  color.  You  would  have 
enjoyed  meeting  him,  Hugh.  He  would 
have  given  you  the  American  side  of  every- 
thing at  first  hand.  What  I  have  given  you 
is  only  a  very  faint  echo." 

"  But  haven't  you  any  Canadian  songs  to 
give  me?"  asked  Hugh,  as  the  girls  were 
about  leaving  the  piano. 

"  There's  the  old  ^  Canadian  Boat-song,' " 
said  Nellie,  doubtfully. 

"  No,  no,"  said  Kate,  "  that's  all  very  well 
for  singing  on  the  river.  We'll  have  it 
there^  by  and  by.  Give  Hugh  something  that 
has  more  of  a  native  flavor  a])out  it.  Sing 
him  one  or  two  of  those  P'rench  Canadian 
songs  you  used  to  be  so  fond  of — '  La  Claire 


92 


Ijaujtt  the  ^ivev  tu  the  jleu. 


Fontaine^  you  know,  or  *  En  Roulant  Ma 
Boide:  " 

"  15iit  tliey  are  so  silly,"  objected  Nellie. 

"  Dear  me !  who  expects  songs  to  be  sen- 
sible nowadays,  especially  songs  of  that 
sorty  And  Iliigli  can  enjoy  a  little  non- 
sense to  a  pretty  air,  as  well  as  anybody, 
I'm  quite  sure.  Ilemember  how  nnich  Mr. 
Winthrop  used  to  like  them,"  said  Mrs. 
Sandford. 

"  Well,  I'll  sing  tliem,"  said  Nellie;  "only, 
as  the  air  is  so  simple,  you  nuist  all  of  you 
join  in  the  chorus,  after  the  first  time.  You 
can  easily  catch  it  up." 

And  she  proceeded  to  sing,  with  much 
spirit  and  expression,  two  or  three  of  the 
lively  French-Canadian  airs,  which  have 
come  down  from  the  old  times  of  voya- 
gevrs  and  trappers — and  tliC  whole  party 
caught  the  fascination  and  were  soon  sing- 
ing, all  together,  the  rollicking  chorus  of : — 


^^  En  roulant  ma  boule  roulant, — en  roulant   ma 
houle,^^ 

and  the  prettier,  half-playful,  half-serious 
love  ditty,  the  refrain  to  "  Xa  Claire  Fon- 
table  ": 


§o\\:\x  the  ^\va  to  the  *ca. 


98 


**  II  tfa  loiiijlonpH  quvjc  Vaime, 
Jamais  je  nc  V ouhlicrai,^^ 


till  every  one  was  vsurprised  to  find  that  it 
was  eleven  o'clock,  and  time  for  the  travel- 
ers to  seek  their  rest  in  preparation  for  an 
early  start. 

It  was  with  great  regret  that  the  good- 
byes were  said  next  morning,  and  the  little 
party  separated  at  the  Grand  Trunk  sta- 
tion. May  thought  she  could  see  very  well 
that  Jack  Armstrong  had  fallen  a  victim  to 
the  fresh,  rosy-cheeked,  blue-eyed  Flora, 
and,  accordingly,  was  not  surprised  when 
something  was  said  about  a  possibility  that 
he  and  Nellie  might  meet  them  at  (Quebec, 
by  and  by,  and  go  with  them  down  the 
Saguenay. 

"  At  all  events  we  will  live  in  7/o/>e,"  said 
Jack,  who  was  too  fond  of  puns.  "  You 
know  this  is  a  hopeful  atmosphere." 

And  so  they  were  off  from  old  GancrasM, 
as  this  Port  of  Good  IIopcAvas  first  called, 
and  on  the  road  once  more. 

The  next  stage  was  not  very  long,  how- 
ever. At  Cobourg  tliey  utilized  the  "  twenty 
minutes  for  refreshments "  by  driving  rap- 


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23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTIeR,  N.Y.  14580 

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94 


g0Wtt  the  pvw  to  the  ^ea. 


■^ 

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y 


idly  about  the  principal  streets  of  this  old 
town,  commemorating  in  its  name  the  mar- 
riage of  the  young  Queen  with  the  good 
Albert  of  Cobui'g.  They  got  a  distant 
glimpse  of  the  tower  of  the  Victoria  Uni- 
versity, soon  to  be  removed  to  Toronto, 
where  its  name  will  not  have  the  historical 
significance  which  it  had  here.  Mrs.  Sand- 
ford  informed  Hugh  how  many  factories  the 
little  town  contained,  cloth,  cars,  leather,  and 
more  besides.  Then  they  had  a  run  of  some 
two  hours  through  a  fertile  farming  coun- 
try, leaving  the  train  at  Belleville,  where 
they  were  to  spend  the  remainder  of  the 
day.  Tak'ng  an  early  luncheon,  they  de- 
voted the  rest  of  the  afternoon  and  evening 
to  pleasant  drives  about  the  picturesque  vi- 
cinity of  the  pretty  little  city,  wliich,  Mrs. 
Sandford  said,  was  first  named  Belleville  in 
honor  of  Arabella,  th3  wife  of  an  early  gov- 
ernor. That  it  deserved  the  added  "  e  "  no 
one  doubted,  for  all  admired  its  fine  situation 
at  the,  head  of  the  noble  Bay  of  Quinte,  with 
Cl  J^"^  ^  \  P^  *  two  rapid  rivers,  the,  Tren^^nd  the  Moira, 
\*^  A'  i^^"  running  through  the  town.  Everywhere 
that  they  drove  in  the  neighborhood  they 
came  upon  charming  glimpses  of  bay  and 


r 


l£ 


L^» 


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it 


gawn  the  'giva  to  the  ^cu. 


95 


river,  or  rich  fields  of  waviiif?  grJiii^?  tliriv- 
ing  orcliardd  and  pleasant  old  homesteads 
surrounded  by  their  farm-buildings,  making 
many  delightful  rural  j)ictures  to  carry 
away.  And  again  Mrs.  Sandford  reminded 
them  how  all  that  comfort  and  prosperity 
was  the  late  fruit  of  the  hard  labors  and  pa- 
tiently borne  privations  of  the  loyal  old  set- 
tlers, who  chose  to  begin  life  over  a.ti^ain  in 
the  wilderness,  rather  than  sacrifice  their 
political  principles  and  disown  the  flag  they 
loved  so  well. 

"  I'm  afraid  I'm  not  such  a  Tory  as  you 
are.  Aunt  Bella,"  said  Hugh;  "few  of  us 
juniors,  are  in  these  latter  days.  But,  all 
the  same,  it  was  a  noble  thing  to  do — to 
follow  their  principles  to  the  bitter  end, 
and  go  out,  like  Abraham,  into  the  wilder- 
ness." 

"But  I'm  not  sure  that  they  were  all 
noble,"  interposed  Kate,  who  always  loved 
to  take  the  other  side  for  argument's  sake. 
"You  know  some  of  them,  at  any  rate,  never 
thought  that  the  American  '  rebels '  would 
succeed ;  and  Avhen  they  did,  of  course,  with 
feeling  running  so  higli,  they  wouldn't  ex- 
pect much  comfort  among  them^  in  any  case  j 


96 


§0xvn  the  ^ivtt  io  the  ^ra» 


and  many  of  the  Loyalists  had  their  farms 
confiscated,  so  that  they  hadn't  much  choice 
but  to  move  out !  " 

"Yes;  and  a  burning  shame  it  was  for 
those  wlio  confiscated  tliem !  "  rejoined  Mrs. 
Sandford,  who  had  some  traditions  of  tlie 
kind  in  her  own  family.  "  And  I  know 
well  enough  you  got  these  Yankee  ideas 
from  that  Mr.  Winthrop!" 

"Well,"  said  Kate,  calmly,  "it  was  all 
for  the  best  in  the  end,  though,  of  course,  it 
was  hard  for  the  people  who  were  driven 
from  their  homes.  But  you  see,  if  they  had 
not  had  to  leave  them,  we  might  never  have 
had  this  glorious  'Canada  of  ours,'  of 
which  we  are  so  proud ! " 

"  Yes,"  remarked  Hugh,  "  Mr.  Armstrong 
told  me  that  the  narrow  and  mistaken 
policy  of  the  American  leaders  at  that 
time  was  really  the  foundation  of  British 
Canada." 

And  then  he  went  on  give  them  some  of 
the  information  he  had  got  out  of  Mi-.  Arm- 
strong's books,  the  preceding  evening,  in 
regard  to  the  beautiful  valley  of  the  Trent, 
through  which  they  were  driving.  Tie  told 
them  how  Champlain,  three  centuries  ago, 


§om%  tie  ^vct  to  the  j5ca. 


97 


had  sung  its  praises  at  the  Court  of  the  Grand 
Momirq^e^  as  "a  region  very  charming  and 
delightful,"  where  the  park-like  aspect  of 
the  trees  suggested  the  previous  occupancy 
of  the  country  in  bygone  days  by  some 
superior  race.  Then,  putting  aside  this  pre- 
liibtoric  period,  it  was  here  that  Chaniplain, 
on  his  way  to  his  mistaken  raid  on  the 
Iroquois,  which  was  tlie  beginning  of  so 
much  strife  and  trouble,  had  joined  his  sav- 
age allies  in  an  Indian  "  Chevy  Chase  " — in 
which,  by  mishap,  he  wounded  one  of  his 
dusky  friends.  But  these  old  stories  have 
long  ago  been  forgotten,  in  the  interest  of 
mines — gold  and  iron — which,  found  in  the 
vicinity,  have,  as  usual,  somewhat  deterio-  H 
rated  the  region  to  which  they  have  given  r)  •• 

^  ■ 

an  artificial  stimulus.  As  they  drove  in 
from  Trenton,  a  small  place  at  the  confla-  y^'*-  -^^  U.  C/U>^ 
ence  of  t'le  Trent  with  the  bay,  in  the  soft 
falling  dusk,  Hugh  entertained  his  com- 
panions by  repeating  some  of  his  favorite 
passages  from  "  Hiawatha ; "  and  May,  who 
was  poetical  and  patriotic  enough  to  be 
something  of  a  student  of  Canadian  poetry, 
repeated  a  sonnet  by  one  of  Canada's  ear- 
liest singers,  Charles  Saugster,  who,  falling 
7 


"j 


T  ^  /W' 


"j^*'"WV</ '* 


98 


gawtt  the  Pier  U  the  J^ea. 


on  evil  days,  has  not  achieved  the  fame  which 
his  genius  deserved : — 

"My  footsteps  press,  where,  centuries  ago, 
The  red  man  fought  and  conquered,   lost  and 

won  ; 
Where  tribes  and  races,  gone  like  last  year's 
snow, 
Have  found  th'  eternal  hunting  grounds,  and 
run 
The  fiery  gauntlet  of  their  active  days, 

Till  few  are  left  to  tell  the  niournfi'l  tale  ; 
And  these  inspire  us  with  such  wild  amaze. 

They  seem  like  spectres  passing  down  a  vale 
Steeped  in  uncertain  moonliglit  on  their  way 
Towards  some  bourne  wht;re  darkness  blinds 
the  day, 
And  night  is  wrapped  in  mystery  profound. 

We  cannot  lift  the  mantle  of  the  past : 
We  seem  to  wander  over  hallowed  ground. 
We  scan  the  trail  of  thought,  but  all  is  over- 
cast." 

"  Thank  yon,"  said  Hugh,  "  I  should  like 
to  see  more  of  that  poet.  I  like  his  vein 
very  much." 

"  Oh,  May  can  give  you  screeds  of  any 
length  from  his  *  St.  Lawrence  and  the 
Saguenay '  as  we  go  along.  And  T  daresay 
you  can  get  tlie  book  in  Kingston — he  is  a 


g0Wtt  the  '^ivtt  to  the  j5ca. 


90 


Kingstonian,  I  believe,"  said  Kate,  who  was 
not  particularly  poetical. 

And  then  as  the  shadows  of  night  drew 
softly  about  them,  the  fireflies  flashed  in 
jind  out  of  the  woods  with  unusual  bril- 
liancy,  affording  the  Scotch  cousins  a  new 
subject  for  observation  and  delight. 

"  I  declare,"  said  Hugh,  "  one  can  scarcely 
get  rid  of  the  feeling  that  they  might  set 
the  woods  on  fire ! " 

"They  are  not  common  so  late  in  the 
season,"  said  Kate.  "  Only  now  and  then, 
for  some  reason  best  known  to  themselves, 
they  show  themselves,  but  only  in  the 
woods." 

"  And  tliei'e  is  the  whip-poor-will ! "  ex- 
claimed May,  eagerly. 

"  Oh,  I'm  so  glad  I  "  said  Flora,  after  lis- 
tening attentively.  "That  is  one  thing  I 
did  want  to  see  or  hear ! " 

"You  are  much  more  likely  to  hear  it 
than  to  see  it,"  said  jMay.  "  It  is  very  hard 
to  get  a  good  look  at  one,  for  it  seldom  aji- 
pears  in  daylight." 

But  soon  the  fireflies  and  the  whip-poor- 
will  were  left  behind,  and  they  were  once 
more  rattling  over  city  streets.    And  then, 


100        gown  the  giver  to  the  J>ea. 


after  a  substantial  tea,  they  went  to  rest, 
for  the  steamer  for  Kingston  was  to  start  at 
six  in  the  morning. 

As  the  scenery  of  the  Bay  of  Quinte  de- 
pends very  much  on  the  weather,  the  little 
party  were  foi'tunate  in  having  a  lovely 
changeful  morning,  with  soft  mists  and 
cloud-shadows  that  gave  a  charming  variety 
of  tint  and  tone  to  the  beautiful  bay  and  its 
fair,  gently  sloping  shores.  The  little 
steamer  "  Hero  "  passed  in  rapid  succession 
one  picturesque  point  after  another — the 
bay  sometimes  expanding  into  a  broad, 
wind-rippled  expanse ;  sometimes  narrow- 
ing into  calm  reaches  or  inlets,  mirroring 
the  foliage  on  eitiier  side.  At  the  head  of 
the  largest  reach  or  arm  of  the  bay,  the 
steamer  stopped  at  the  pretty  little  town  of 
Picton,  nestling  beneath  a  noble  wooded 
hill,  with  gentler  slopes  rising  about  it  in 
all  directions.  Whether  Picton  or  Port 
Hope  possessed  the  more  picturesque  site 
was  a  question  they  found  it  hard  to  de- 
cide. Returning  down  this  long  reach 
Hugh  was  seized  with  a  desire  to  see  the 
"  Lake  of  the  Mountain,"  on  the  high  table- 
land above  the  bay,  of  which  he  had  often 


goww  the  ilivfv  to  the  ^tn,         101 


a- 


heard.  And  Kate,  who  considered  nothing 
impossihle,  actually  persuaded  the  obliging 
captain  to  keep  the  boat  at  the  landing  be- 
low it  for  half  an  hour,  in  order  to  give 
them  time  for  a  hurried  visit.  Mrs.  Sand- 
ford,  of  course,  graciously  declined  the 
climb,  but  the  others  hastened  up  the  steep  p-*^p 
ascent,  where  a  mill-race  came  rushing  down 
the  height,  amid  a  lush  growth  of  ferns 
that  grew  luxuriously  among  the  dark,  wet 
rocks,  between  which  they  picked  their 
way.  But,  once  at  the  top,  what  a  glorious 
view !  Right  below  their  feet  stretched  the 
lovely  reach — widening  out  into  the  broad 
bay  at  the  end  of  a  long  promontory  diver- 
sified with  fields  and  farms  and  wooded 
shores.  Close  beside  them,  on  the  other 
hand,  lay  the  lovely  little  lake  they  had  come 
to  see — calmly  sleeping  in  the  sunshine,  with 
as  little  apparent  mystery  about  it  as  if  its 
very  existence  were  not  an  unsolved  prob. 
lem  ;  one  supposition  being,  that,  as  it  is  at 
about  the  same  level  as  Lake  Erie,  it  may 
be  fed  by  a  secret  communication  with  that 
distant  sheet.  But  they  had  only  a  few 
minutes  to  stay  beside  the  beautiful  mys- 
terious little  tarn,  and  to  enjoy  the  lovely 


0. 


'■}  c-J^-^' 


'Vk'*"^ 


^yr> 


v^T 


■i.  ..y 


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UT* 


J-yK/  " 


i 


102        gown  the  ^ivtv  U  the  <^ea. 

view  spread  before  their  eyes,  for  the 
steamer  just  below  was  already  wliistlin*^  to 
reeall  tliem,  and  they  hurried  down  to  rejoin 
lier,~ somewhat  warm  and  out  of  breath, 
but  with  all  the  satisfaction  one  feels  in 
making  the  best  of  one's  opportunities. 

As  they  left  the  reach,  a  sun-shower 
rolled  up,  accompanied  with  distant  thun- 
der; but  it  only  seemed  to  add  a  be- 
witching variety  to  the  tones  of  the 
distance,  and  of  the  water,  and,  when  the 
sunshine  broke  out  again,  conjuring  up  an 
exquisite  rainbow,  and  the  light  and  shade 
chfised  each  other  over  the  golden  fields 
of  waving  barley — the  beauty  of  the  bay 
with  the  perspective  of  the  "  Long  IJeach" 
in  the  distance,  seemed  still  greater  than 
before.  The  travelers  were  content  to  sit 
still,  passively  absorbing  the  charm  of  the 
hour,  while  they  looked  on  in  a  dreamy 
fashion  at  the  various  points  of  interest ; 
at  Point  Mississa^a,  named,  of  course,  in 
honor  of  the  former  "lords  of  the  soil," 
whose  "^o^ewi,"  a  crane,  seemed  to  be  ap- 
propriately keeping  guard  over  the  spot; 
then  at  the  various  villages  and  townships ; 
—at  Deseronto,  a  busy    little    lumbering 


§om  the  ^iicr  to  the  ^e«.         loa 

place,  named  after  an  Indian  chief,  whose 
formidable  name  sij^nittes  "  Thunder  and 
Lightning;  " — at  a  forsaken-looking  little 
"  Jiath,"  with  its  ambitious  name,  and  at  a 
long  succession  of  "  towns,"  or  rather  town- 
ships, named,  by  the  overflowing  enthusiasm 
of  the  U.  E.  Loyalists,  after  the  numerous 
olive  branches  of  old  (leorge  the  Third. 
There  is  Ernestown  and  Adolphustown,  and 
Ameliasburg  and  jNIarysburgh  ;  and  there 
is  Amherst  Island,  named,  like  Picton,  after 
an  English  general,  and  said  to  have  been 
lost  by  a  noble  owner  at  a  game  of  cards! 
Hugh  declared  that  the  loyalty  and  /in'ffsh- 
ness  of  everything  were  rather  monotonous, 
and  could  not  refrain  from  heartily  wishing 
that  these  good  people  had  not,  in  their 
zeal,  undertaken  to  change  to  the  connnon- 
place  name  of  Kingston  the  melodious  Indian 
name  of  Cataraqui !  For  here  they  were  now 
coming  in  sight  of  this  old  "  limestone 
city" — the  oldest  settlement  in  Ontario,  the 
cradle  of  British  Canada — and,  to  May,  sur- 
rounded with  a  halo  of  romance  from  its 
close  association  with  the  history  and  fort- 
une of  her  brave  but  hapless  hero,  the 
dauntless  explorer,  LaSalle. 


104        §ovcn  the  ^ivcr  to  the  Jfea. 


CHAPTER  HI. 


AMONG   TIIK    BEAUTIFUL   ISLANDS. 

And  now  they  were  rapidly  approaching 
the  gray,  "  limestone  city,"which  rises  pict- 
uresquely on  its  slope  behind  its  line  of 
wharves,  and  elevators,  and  masts  of  ves- 
sels, with  a  certain  quiet  dignity  not  unbe- 
coming its  antiquity,  and  derived,  partly 
from  its  harmonious  gray  coloring,  and 
partly  from  the  graceful  towers  and  spires 
that  form  so  prominent  a  feature  in  its  as- 
pect. And  it  was  by  no  means  easy  for 
May  to  call  up  in  imagination — as  she  tried 
to  do — the  wild,  savage  loneliness  of  the 
place,  with  its  wooded  slopes,  as  yet  un- 
touched by  the  hand  of  tlie  settler,  as  it 
presented  itself  to  La  Salle,  when  he  tirst 
discovered  the  advantages  of  making  Cata- 
raqui  his  base  of  operations  ;  or  even  as  it 
was  seen  by  the  first  detachment  of  U.  E. 
Loyalists,  when  their  batteaitx,  slowly  mak- 


Jott-n  the  giver  to  the  jJea.         105 


iiig  their  way  up  the  St.  Lawrence,  rounded 
the  long  promontory  now  surmounted  l)y 
the  ramparts  of  Fort  Henry.  One  tall 
tower,  seen  long  before  any  other  evidence 
of  a  city  appeared,  belonged,  the  captain 
told  them,  to  the  Roman  Catholic  Cathe- 
dral. Presently,  however,  extensive  piles 
of  fine  public  buildings  attracted  their  at- 
tention, which  they  found  were  unfortu- 
nately the  shelter  of  lunacy  and  crime, 
Kingston  beuig  the  seat  of  the  Provincial 
Penitentiary,  as  well  as  of  a  large  asylum. 
In  welcome  contrast,  they  were  shown  the 
Gothic  tower  of  Queen's  University,  rising 
above  an  efUonraf/e  of  trees,  though  far 
from  being  as  imposing  in  its  dimensions  as 
these  palaces  of  gloom.  From  thence,  the 
eye  wandered  over  other  towers  and  domes 
and  spires,  relieved  by  masses  of  verdure, 
which  led  them  easily  to  believe  the  cap- 
tain's report  th.at  Kingston  is  a  very  at- 
tractive city,  especially  when  summer  had 
embowered  it  in  shade.  And  there  were 
great  schooners,  under  a  full  spread  of  can- 
vas, and  massive  lake  steamers  and  pro- 
pellers, and  little  active  steam-launches, 
flitting    about,   iu  striking  contrast — May 


106        IJoa'tt  the  JUvcv  to  the  ^c». 

thoiiglit — to  the  stillness  of  the  scene, 
broken  only  by  the  Inxiuois  eanoes,  when 
Frontenjie's  tiotilhi  ciune  in  stiiie  np  tlie 
lonely  rivtii*  to  found  old  lM)rt  Fronleniic. 

"And  what  a  glorious  sheet  of  wjiter 
around  it!"  exclaimed  Hu<;h,  takinj^  in 
with  an  admiring-  <''a/e  the  westward  blue 
ex})anse  of  lake  and  the  g-reat  wide  sweep 
of  river  studded  with  islands,  stretehini^ 
away  to  eastward,  which  they  told  him  was 
the  St.  Lawrence,  at  last.  And  then,  as 
they  rounded  the  curve  of  the  tine  harbor, 
."ud  saw  before  them,  on  the  one  side,  the 
line  cut-stone  front  of  the  City  Hall  and  on 
the  other,  on  a  long*,  green  ])romontory,  the 
Ivoyal  Military  College,  with  its  smart  Nor- 
man tower:3,  they  observed  a  long  bridge 
behind  which  the  river  Cataraqui  winds  its 
way  down  from  the  northeast,  and  forms 
this  beautiful  harbor  by  its  eonliuenf  e  with 
the  St.  Lav/rence.  Six  miles  up  its  placid 
stream,  they  were  told,  the  IJideau  Canal 
had  its  beginning  at  a  picturesque  gorge 
where  are  the  first  massive  stone  locks,  which 
form  one_of  the  finest  pieces  of  masonry  on 
the  continent.  This  Hideau  Canal  binds 
together  a  chain  of  lovely  little  lakes,  and 


Joun  tlic  ^mx  to  the  ^ti\,         lo" 


ftnjilly  meets  the  liidejiu  Uiver,  and  so  makes 
a  conveiiiesit  water-way  to  Ottawa, — de- 
sij^ned,  it  is  said,  by  the  Duke  of  \\'eliin<^- 
ton,  as  a  means  of  intereommunication  re- 
mote from  the  frontier. 

"And  where  are  the  old  Tete-dn-pont 
barraeksV"  asked  j\Iay,  wiio  had  got  that 
name,  by  heart,  out  of  Parkman,  tiiat  she 
mis'ht  be  able  to  fix  for  lierself  the  site  of 
the  old  Freneh  fort  whieh  Frontenae  had 
inauj^urated  and  La  Salle  had  eommanded. 

She  was  shown  some  gray  stone  build- 
ings, enelosing  a  quadrangle,  at  the  nearer 
end  of  the  long,  low  bridge  crossing  the 
Cataraqui  to  the  opposite  plateau  with  tlie 
green  slope  beyond  it,  on  whicli  stood  the 
main  defences  of  Kingston, — Fort  Tleniy 
above,  and,  near  the  Military  College,  cer- 
tain round  stone  towers,  which,  scattered 
about  the  harbor,  gave  quite  an  air  of  mili- 
tary distinction  to  the  place. 

"I'm  afraid  none  of  them  would  be  of 
much  good,  nowadays,"  remarked  a  pas- 
senger, and  Hugh  laughingly  assented,  add- 
ing, "  We  may  trust,  I  hope,  that  they  will 
never  be  needed." 

"  Not  much  danger,  I  think,"  was  the  re- 


108        gawtt  the  fim  to  the  ^ea. 


ply.  "  We  may  have  a  tiff  with  the  '  States' 
once  hi  a  while;  but  there  are  too  many 
Canadians  there  now  !  We  can't  afford  to 
quarrel." 

They  went,  on  landing,  to  a  hotel  bearing 
the  appropriate  name  of  "  Hotel  Frontenac," 
where  they  did  full  justice  to  an  early  din- 
ner. And,  after  that,  having  a  couple  of 
hours  or  so  to  spare,  before  starting  for  the 
island,  they  drove  through  the  pleasant  lit- 
tle city,  embowered  in  the  shady  avenues  ex- 
tending in  every  direction,  its  streets  strik- 
ing off  at  all  angles.  Of  course  they  went 
to  look  at  the  two  cathedrals,  the  l^oman 
Catholic  one  being  a  massive  Gothic  building 
with  an  equally  massive  tower,  and  at  the 
graceful  Gothic  temple  of  Queen's  Univer- 
sity, on  its  fine  open  campus^  and  then  fol- 
lowed the  charming  drive  by  the  lake-shore, 
till  they  passed  the  great,  and  as  they 
thought,  gloomy  masses  of  the  Penitentiary 
and  Asylum  buildings,  and  then  came  out 
on  another  unimpeded  view  of  the  blue 
lake.  Then  returning,  they  drove  back  past 
quiet  suburban  residences,  within  spacious 
and  shady  grounds,  admiring  the  substan 
tial  and  comfortable  look  of  the  houses,  and 


§0Wtt  the  llivcv  to  the  ^e».  109 


the  tastefully  kept  surroundings  ; — and 
through  the  pretty  little  park,  stretching 
on  one  side,  down  to  the  breezy  lake  shore, 
with  its  round  stone  tower,  and,  on  the  other, 
rising  in  a  gentle  slope  crowned  by  a  state- 
ly Grecian  court-house,  wath  picturescjue 
cliurch  towers  rising  around  it  in  the  back- 
ground. And  at  one  side  of  this  park,  they 
made  a  little  detour  to  look  at  the  Hospital, 
whose  plain  central  building  was  the  first 
local  habitation  of  the  Parliament  of  Upper 
and  Lower  Canada,  when  Kingston,  for  a 
few  years  occupied  the  position  of  capita)  of 
the  recently  united  provinces.  Then  re- 
turning to  their  boat,  they  passed  a  hiind- 
sonie  post-office  and  custom-house,  of  which, 
with  her  spacious  city  hall,  Kingston  is  nat- 
urally somewhat  vain.  The  houses  they 
passed  were  bright  with  window  flowers 
and  baskets  of  blooming  plants,  prettily  re- 
lieving the  green  sward  in  front ;  and  they 
all  agreed  that  Kingston  bore  worthily 
enough  its  prestifie  of  being  the  oldest  his- 
torical city  in  Ontario — the  present  name  of 
western  Canada. 

Hut  though  it  was  nearly  four  o'clock,  and 
the  beautiful  islands  were  before  them — they 


no         ^om  the  llivct  to  the  <f  ea. 


went  to  snatch,  at  May's  desire — a  peep  at 
the  old  7'ete-du-ponthiiYr?iGk^,  with  weather- 
worn gateway  and  interior  scjuare,  in  which, 
wlien  the  foundations  of  tlie  barracks  were 
laid,  there  were  some  traces  fo  ;nd  of  old 
Fort  Frontenac,  which  had  therefore  evi- 
dently stood  on  that  very  site.  May,  at 
least,  looked  at  it  with  a  sincere  reverence, 
and  as  she  thought  of  how  many  changing 
phases  of  fortune  in  her  hero's  history  that 
square  had  been  the  scene. 

But  now  it  was  almost  four  o'clock,  and 
they  must  hasten  to  the  boat  that  was  to 
carry  them  to  the  beautiful  islands  which  had 
been  beckoning  them  so  long.  As  the  Pierre- 
pont  glided  out  of  the  protected  harbor,  the 
afternoon  sun  lighted  up  the  grey  mass  of 
the  city,  and  the  Norman  towers  of  the 
Royal  Military  College,  standing  on  its  strip 
of  cmnjyus,  to  their  left,  as  they  entered  the 
real  St.  Lawrence,  while  beyond  it  rose  above 
them  the  green  hill-slope  which  forms  the 
r/lacis  of  the  low,  long-stretching  ramparts 
of  Fort  Henry,  with  its  fortified  water-way, 
and  the  round  grey  toAvers  at  its  base.  And 
as  they  rounded  its  long  promontory,  leaving 
the  distant  city  behind  it,  May  once  more 


gown  the  ^ivfv  U  the  ^ea.         Ill 


tried  to  picture  the  solitude  of  the  scene  as 
La  Salle  first  knew  it,  broken  only  by  his 
own  canoe  and  those  of  the  ferocious  Iro- 
quois. Meantime  IIu<^h,  not  less  interested 
in  the  historical  associations  of  the  place, 
drew  from  her,  by  cross-questioning,  an  out- 
line of  some  of  the  tragic  events  of  which 
Fort  Frontenac  had  been  the  scene.  IJut 
gradually  the  charm  of  the  present  hour  as- 
serted itself  and  all  else  was  forgotten  in 
watching  the  changing  beauty  of  the  scenery 
around  them.  A  slight  thunder-shower 
seemed  to  have  purified  the  air,  and  the 
brightly  shining  sun  lighted  up  the  rich 
green  of  the  woods,  the  golden  tones  of 
the  harvest  fields  on  the  shores  they  were 
passing,  and  the  grey  rocks  and  shaggy 
foliage  of  some  scattered  islets  on  their 
course,  one  of  which.  Cedar  island,  was 
crowned  by  a  round  tower, — islets  which 
were,  they  were  told,  really  the  outrunners 
of  the  great  archipelago  farther  down  the 
river.  As  they  passed  the  water-rampart 
of  the  fort,  Hugh  observed  that  it  seemed 
to  be  falling  to  pieces,  and  remarked  that 
the  government  might  look  better  after  its 
property. 


112         §0xu  the  giver  to  the  ^ea. 


"  It  may  just  iis  well  go  to  pieces,"  said  a 
voice  behind  them.  "It  would  be  of  very  little 
us(>  if  we  did  go  in  for  concjuest,  and  I  hope 
there  is  no  likelihood  of  any  serious  hostili- 
ties between  the  two  countries." 

— "  Well,  Mrs.  Sandford,  have  you  for- 
gotten me  ?  "  the  voice  continued.  "  1  low  do 
you  do.  Miss  Severne  ?  I  am  delighted  to 
meet  you  again." 

Kate  had  looked  up  with  a  start  as  the 
first  tones  of  the  stranger's  voice  caught  her 
ear,  and  perhaps  there  was  just  a  tinge  of 
heightened  .^olour  on  her  cheek  as  she 
greeted  the  speaker  with  her  usual  frank 
ease. 

"  Why,  Mr.  Winthrop !  I  never  thought 
of  encountering  you  in  this  (piiet  corner  of 
the  world.  What  accident  brings  you  this 
way?" 

"  It  was  not  quite  an  accident,"  he  replied, 
smilhig.  "I  met  Jack  Armstrong  yester- 
day on  the  train  between  Port  Hope  and 
Cobourg,  and  he  told  me  of  your  arrange- 
ments; and  as  I  just  got  in  an  hour  or  two 
ago,  and  found  out  that  this  was  the  speedi- 
est way  of  getting  over  to  Clayton,  where  I 
am  bound  for  a  few  days'  fishing,  I  thought 


^own  the  Jiivcr  \o  the  ^^e«.         113 


I  would  waylay  you — and  here  I  am,  as  you 


It 


see. 

"  As  we  are  very  glad  to  see,"  Kate  re- 
plied, gracefully.  "  Let  me  introduce  my 
cousin.  Miss  Thorburn,  and  my  Scotch  cous- 
ins, Mr.  and  Miss  Macnab." 

May  eyed  the  newcomer  critically,  and  a 
little  jealously,  for  in  the  interests  of  the 
inciiiient  romance  that  she  had  begun  to 
weave  for  Kateivnd  Hugh,  she  did  not  relish 
his  appearance — especially  taken  in  connec- 
tion with  the  remarks  she  had  heard  from 
Xellie  Armstrong.  lie  was,  he^wever,  as 
she  could  not  help  admitting,  a  very  pleas- 
ant-looking man,  not  very  young,  in  fact,  a 
good  deal  older  than  ilugli  Macnab,  with 
Ivcen,  scrutinizing  gray  eyes  and  mobile  face, 
full  of  intelligence  and  expression.  To  May, 
Hugh's  was  much  the  finer  face,  but  she  could 
not  help  feeling  that  Mr.  Winthrop's  was 
decidedly  attractive,  and  she  inwardly  trem- 
l)led  for  the  prospects  of  the  younger  man. 
She  felt  that  Mr.  Winthrop's  quick  glance 
took  in  the  whole  2yerso)inel  of  the  little 
party,  as  the  introductions  were  made. 

"  Well,  Mrs.  Sandford,"  he  resumed,  when 
he  had  courteously  greeted  each  in  turn,  his 
8 


114        Jowtt  the  ^ivn  U  the  ^m. 


eye  resting  for  a  inoincnt,  with  evident  ad- 
miration  upon  the  rosy,  fresh-faced  Scotcli 
lassie, — "I  hope  you  are  prepared  in  the 
goodness  of  your  lieart,  to  extend  a  Uttle 
toleration  to  a  reprohate  IJepublican  lilce 
me.  I'll  try  not  to  wound  your  sensibili- 
ties quite  so  nuK^li,  this  time!  " 

"  Oh,  you  didn't  hurt  me  at  all ! " 
said  that  lady,  good-lmmoredly.  "  I  know 
you  don't  mean  any  harm;  it's  tlie  way  you 
were  broui^dit  up.  But  you  must  not  put 
traitorous  ideas  into  these  young  people's 
heads.     There's  Kate,  now " 

But  liere  th;it  young  woman  hastily  in 
terposed :  "  Would  you  mind  getting  us  an- 
other seat,  Mr.Winthrop?"  said  she,  "Miss 
Maenab  is  quite  in  the  sun."         i 

Mr.  Winthrop  at  once  performed  the  sug- 
gested service,  and  then,  the  previous  topic 
having  been  shunted  olf,  the  whole  party 
surrendered  themselves  to  the  dreamy 
charm  of  the  afternoon — of  the  golden  sun- 
shine and  dappling  shade,  that  threw  such 
a  spell  of  beauty  over  the  undulating  shore, 
with  its  yellow  harvest-fields  and  deep, 
green  woods,  country  houses  gleaming 
white  through  trees,  and  comfortable  farm- 


Sown  the  5^ivct  to  the  ^ea.         115 

houses  nestling  amid  bowery  orchards,  be- 
ginning to  be  weighed  down  with  their  load 
of  fruit. 

The  real  width  of  the  river,  here  about 
eiglit  miles,  is  at  some  points  narrowed 
down  to  apparently  two  or  three  miles  and 
sometimes  much  less,  by  the  large  islands 
that  divide  it  and  extend  for  some  twenty 
miles  below  Kingston.  One  of  these — Howe 
Island,  named  after  a  r»ritish  general — cuts 
off  a  very  picturesque  chainiel  down  which 
lay  the  course  of  their  l)oat.  At  intervals 
of  a  few  miles,  the  boat  slopped  jit  primi- 
tive wharves,  where  the  country  folk,  who 
had  been  to  market,  landed  with  their  innu- 
merable parcels  and  baskets,  of  all  shapes 
and  sizes,  farming  implements,  peram- 
bulators, etcetera.  At  one  landing  they 
put  ashore  a  pile  of  dressed  lumber — at 
another,  a  horse ;  at  still  another,  the  heter- 
ogeneous mass  of  luggage  belonging  to  a 
family  "  going  into  villeyiatura  " — as  Mrs. 
Sandford  put  it — including  a  great  box  con- 
taining a  parlor  organ.  For  the  farmer- 
folk  their  horses  and  conveyances  were  pa- 
tiently waiting,  and  very  soon  they  might 
be  seen  driving  slowly  homewards  along 


116        gawtt  the  ^xvtK  U  the  jlea. 


11 


;.jii 


the  country  roads  that  followed  the  curve 
of  the  shore,  or  struck  back  among  the 
fields  and  woods.  A  beautiful,  new,  var- 
nished boat  that  had  excited  Hugh's  rather 
envious  admiration  from  the  time  he  came 
on  board,  was  at  last  unshipped  and 
rowed  away  by  its  happy  owner,  whose 
camping  outfit  proclaimed  that  he  was 
bound  on  a  delightful  holiday.  Here  and 
there  they  caught  glimpses  of  white  tents 
and  gay  flags,  where  lived  a  little  commu- 
nity of  campers,  who  Avaved  their  handker- 
chiefs as  the  boat  went  by;  and  cheered  as 
if  a  steamboat  were  a  new  and  unheard-of 
triumph  of  inventive  skill.  At  one  point, 
the  shore  of  the  island  to  their  right,  rose 
picturesquely  into  high  banks  clothed  with 
a  rich  growth  of  light,  fluttering  birch  and 
sombre  cedar,  the  contrast  of  which  de- 
lighted the  travelers.  There  was  quite  a 
romantic-looking  landing  here,  beside  an  old 
ruined  lime-kiln,  and  the  road  wound  pict- 
uresquely up  the  wooded  height,  the  two 
or  three  figures  seen  walkinr  up  the  wind- 
ing path,  as  the  boat  receded,  looking — 
May  declared — "  just  like  people  in  the  be- 
ginning  of  a  story." 


'L'un 


§oxcn  the  ^Ivct  ta  the  jleu.         117 


"And  so  they  are — or  in  tlie  middle  of 
it,"  suid  Mr.  Wintlirop.  "Pencil  of  us  is 
livinj^  in  a  story  of  our  own,  after  all,  and  I 
suppose  each  would  have  its  own  interest  if 
it  could  only  be  read  just  as  it  is." 

"  Only  some  stories  are  more  interesting 
than  others,"  suj^gested  Hugh. 

"  And  those  people  evidently  think 
theirs  is  particularly  interesting  just  now," 
remarked  Kate,  for  they  were  just  passing 
a  little  cluster  of  tiny  cottages  and  tents, 
where  a  large  and  merry  party  were  sum- 
mering, with  much  display  of  bright  bunt- 
ing and  many  skiffs ;  and  where  young  a.^d 
old  alike  seemed  to  get  into  a  state  of  wild 
excitement  as  the  boat  passed,  saluting  her 
with  horns  and  a  white  flutter  of  handker- 
eliiefs  that  might  haVe  passed  for  a  flight 
of  pigeons.  The  captain  of  the  steamboat 
courteously  returned  the  salute  with  his 
steam  whistle,  with  the  laconic  remark: 
"Makes  them  feel  happy,"  which  seemed 
true,  for  the  demonstrations  were  renewed 
with  fresh  vigor  and  continued  till  the 
little  encampment  was  out  of  sight. 

But  the  dark  thunder-clouds  had  been 
again  stealing  up  behind  them,  and  now  the 


118         Joan  the  %mx  to  the  jlca. 


lights  on  the  shore  and  the  foliage  disap- 
l)eared,  the  cedars  looking  especially  som- 
bre in  the  growing  gloom. 

"  There's  a  scpiall  coming  down  tlie  river," 
said  Ifngh  Macnab,  who  had  been  watching 
from  tlie  stern  the  pretty  gronping  of  the 
small  islands  that  here  studded  the  chamiel. 

"  Ves,  indeed,"  said  Kate.  "  They  often 
come  np  here  suddenly.  Look  how  one 
point  after  another  is  sponged  out  by  the 
gray  mist.  See  there,  how  the  rain  is 
driving  down  over  there  already." 

"And  it  will  be  here  in  a  minute,"  said 
Mr.  Winthrop,  rising  hastily.  "  Come,  you 
must  all  get  into  the  centre  of  the  boat,  well 
under  the  awning,  if  you  won't  go  down 
stairs." 

Mrs.  Sandford  thought  it  best  to  retreat 
to  the  cabin  below,  being  afraid  of  thunder, 
but  all  the  others  protested  that  it  was 
much  too  interesting  to  watch  the  arrival 
of  the  storm.  At  a  sugorestion  from  Mr. 
Winthrop,  however,  he  and  Hugh  made  a 
dash  down  to  the  cabin  for  wraps  and  um- 
brella, returning  in  a  second  or  two  with 
an  armful  of  waterproofs,  in  which  the 
ladies  were  all  carefully  wrapped  before  the 


§tim\  the  ^Ivct  to  the  jlca.         119 


first  heavy  rain-drops  came  pattering  down 
on  deck.  And  then,  for  a  minute,  how 
they  did  come  down,  hisliing  the  deck  till  it 
was  flooded ; — even  where  they  sat  the 
droi)s  flew  into  their  faces,  and,  hut  for  tlie 
waterproofs,  would  have  dienched  their 
garments.  Kate,  who  loved  a  storm,  was 
looking  brilliantly  handsome,  and  so — May 
was  sure — thought  Mr.  Winthrop,  who 
kept  his  position  near  her,  so  as  to  shelter  a 
little  from  the  onslaught  of  the  rain.  And 
how — she  inwardly  wondered — would  Hugh 
Macnab  like  the  sudden  invasion  from  this 
stranger  and  foreigner,  who  seemed  to 
make  himself  so  very  nnich  at  home  ?  She 
fancied  that  his  somewhat  sensitive  face 
looked  clouded,  but  perhaps  it  was  only 
the  reflection  of  the  clouds  without,  for, 
presently  \v^hen  the  rain-drops  gradually 
ceased,  and  the  sun  shone  out  again, 
brighter,  as  it  seemed,  than  ever,  his  face 
brightened,  too,  and  he  watched  eagerly  for 
the  first  appearance  of  what  might  properly 
be  called  the  real  Thousand  Island  group. 

"  There  they  are ! "  Kate  exclaimed,  at 
length,  as  some  soft,  cloud-like  forms  loomed 
up  against  the  distant  horizon,  still  some- 


120         ^omi  the  llivct  *0  the  ^e«. 


what  misty  with  the  receding  rain.  "  See 
how  they  cluster  there  together !  And  do 
you  see  those  tiny  white  specks?  Those 
are  the  liglithouses  tliat  mark  the  channt'l. 
And  tliere,  if  you  can  catch  a  glimpse  of 
some  white  houses  heyond  those  islands — , 
those  are  i)art  of  the  poetically  named  town 
of  Gananoque,  '  Roc/cs  in,  Deep  Water ^^  as 
the  Invlian  name  signifies.  And  it  is  a  good 
enough  description,  if  only  they  would  have 
added  'Kocks  in  Shallow  Water'  as  well; 
for  there  is  certainly  no  lack  of  rocks  in 
either  the  depths  or  the  shallows ! " 

And  now  the  little  steamer  began  to  wind 
in  and  out  among  the  clustered  islets,  some 
of  them  little  more  than  rough  granite 
crags,  bristling  with  wind-tossed  pines, 
others  masses  of  tangled  foliage,  and  others 
still,  partially  cleared,  with  fanciful  little 
cottages  embowered  in  trees  and  clustering 
vines.  At  some  of  these  cottages  the  in- 
habitants, like  the  campers,  amused  them- 
selves by  blowing  a  horn  as  a  salute,  to 
which  the  steamer  amiably  responded,  after 
which  there  would  be  another  flutter  of 
handkerchiefs  from  the  loungers  on  the 
verandas  or  by  the  shore. 


Douu  the  mvn  to  the  Jica.         121 


"Well,"  sail  Hnt^li,  "though  we  know  it 
really  means  nothing,  it  does  seem  pleasant 
to  be  waved  at,  as  if  one  were  eoming 
home!" 

"And  yet  the  same  people  would  only 
stare  critieally  at  you  it"  they  met  you  in 
the  street." 

"It's  the  air  of  these  charming  islands," 
laugh'^d  Kate.  "It  makes  every  one  so 
genial  and  overflowing  with  the  milk  of 
human  kindness  that  they  can't  help  ex- 
pressing it  all  round !  " 

"Or  so  idle  that  even  this  mild  excite- 
ment is  entertainhig,"  said  Mr.  Winthrop. 

"Wait  till  you  have  tried  it  a  little 
while ! "  said  Kate.  "  P»n-haps  even  you 
may  grow  less  cynical  there.  But  where 
are  you  going  now?" 

"I  believe  this  little  steamer  will  take  me 
to  Clayton  to-night.  My  friends  are  there 
fishing,  and  are  expecting  me  to  join  them." 

"And  that  is  how  far  from  here?"  asked 
Hugh. 

"About  eight  miles,"  Kate  replied — "  on 
the  American  side  of  the  river." 

"Oh,  then,  we  shall  meet  again,  I  hope, 
and  improve  our  acquamtauce,"  said  Hugh, 


122         Joivtt  the  ^ivcv  to  the  ^ea. 


as  he  rose  in  response  to  Mrs.  Sandford's 
commands,  for  now  they  had  rounded  the 
last  iskind  and  were  rapidly  approaclnng 
THe  pretty  httle  town  of  Gananoque,  while 
the  slanting  rays  of  the  westering  sun 
threw  out  the  foliage  of  the  islands  and  the 
shore  into  the  richest  green,  and  gave  the 
whole  scene  its  hrightest  aspect. 

Close  by  the  wharf  lay  a  tiny  steam- 
yacht,  on  whose  floating  pennon  Kate 
speedily  recognized  the  name  "  Oneida" 
and  in  a  moment  more  the  waving  of  white 
handkerchiefs  announced  the  presence  of 
the  friends  who  were  waiting  them  there. 
To  May  it  seemed  like  a  fairy  tale  to  be  re- 
ceived into  a  i^rivate  steam-yacht  as  an  ex- 
pected guest,  instead  of  the  open  skiff  she 
had  been  looking  for.  It  was  more  than 
ever  like  a  dream; — the  little  cabin,  the 
dainty  furnishings,  the  miniature  engine 
with  its  polished  brass  fittings  —  every- 
thing seemed  new,  beautiful,  delightful. 
Flora  Macnab  was  equally  delighted,  de- 
claring she  had  "  never  seen  such  a  dear 
wee  vessel  before ; "  and  Hugh,  though 
quiet  as  usual,  mentally  noted  everything 
with    much    satisfaction.      Mr.    Winthrop 


tl 


§ow\\  the  ^'mt  U  the  ^e».         123 


accompanied  them  on  board,  carrying  Kate's 
wraps,  and  was  just  hurrying  off  back  to 
the  steamer  when  their  host,  Mr.  Leshe, 
after  a  brief  introduction,  urged  tliat  he 
should  accompany  the  others  as  his  guest. 
— "For  I  can  assure  you  we  can  always 
make  room  for  one  guest  more," — he  said 
with  cheery  hospitality. 

But  Mr.  Winthrop  declined  the  invitation 
with  many  thanks,  on  the  ground  that  his 
friends  were  expecting  him,  adding  that  if 
he  n>ight  be  allowed  to  come  a  little  later, 
for  a  day  or  two,  he  should  be  delighted  to 
do  so. 

"Anytime  you  will,"  said  Mr.  Leslie,  and 
he  hurried  off  to  catch  his  boat,  which  was 
on  the  point  of  starting  again,  wliile  the 
others  were  duly  introduced  to  tlie  mem- 
bers of  Mr.  Leslie's  family  who  had  come 
to  meet  them.  The  little  steam-yacht  only 
waited  for  a  su[)ply  of  baskets,  containing 
supplies,  to  be  stowed  away  on  board,  and 
then  it,  too,  uttered  its  shrill  little  parting 
whistle,  and  darted  off  on  its  way  to  the 
island,  some  miles  distant,  which  was  Mr. 
Leslie's  summer  home.  To  May  it  seemed 
like  fairyland — this  little  evening  sail  among 


124         §oxm  i\\t  '^ivtx  ta  the  ^ea. 


i 


these  lovely  islands,  in  a  yacht  so  low  as  to 
bring  the  eye  on  a  level  with  their  base, 
and  not  going  too  fast  to  enable  her  to  enjoy 
in  detail  the  beauty  of  lichen-crested  rocks 
festooned  with  creepers  and  wild  roses,  and 
of  still,  placid  reaches,  dyed  crimson  and 
purple  by  the  sunset  hues,  wliere  clusters 
of  snowy  water-lilies  were  shining  like  stars 
amid  the  dark  leaves.  In  the  subdued  even- 
ing light,  the  nearer  islands  were  so  soft  a 
green — the  distant  ones  looked  softly  j)ur- 
ple  in  the  liglit  haze  that  helped  to  idealize 
the  scene, — that  May,  for  one,  would  have 
liked  to  wind  in  and  out  in  this  dreamy, 
leisurely  fashion  for  hours,  and  was  almost 
sorry  when  she  avus  startled  from  her 
dream  by  the  shrill  whistle  of  the  yacht, 
and  found  they  were  nearing  a  little  rustic 
pier  flanked  by  dusky  pines  antl  cedars. 

The  party  were  soon  disemljarked  amid 
the  lively  little  group  tliat  stood  awaiting 
them  on  the  pier — young  men  in  boating 
flannels,  lively  children,  young  girls  in 
cool,  light  blouses  and  dark  blue  skirts, 
jveady  liands  seized  packages  and  baskets, 
and  then  they  all  followed  an  ascending, 
fragrant,  sloping    path    that  led  between 


§0\xts,  the  ilivcv  to  the  ^ca.         125 


weew 


lichenetl  rocks  and  iiod(liii<^  ferns  to  an 
open  glade  higher  up,  where  stood  their 
pretty  summer  cottage,  with  its  wide  ve- 
randas, looking  capacious  enough  to  accom- 
modate two  or  three  city  houses.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Leslie  were  excellent  hosts ;  and,  in  a 
few  minutes,  every  one  was  conducted  to  a 
room,  and  May  found  herself  installed  in 
what  she  mentally  styled  the  dearest  little 
nest,  up  under  the  eaves,  connnanding 
what  seemed,  in  the  transfiguring  evening 
light,  the  most  enchanting  view  of  the 
island-studded  channel.  It  reminded  her 
of  her  room  and  window  at  the  Clifton  ; — 
both  views  so  beautiful,  and  yet  so  alto- 
gether different. 

But  she  was  not  long  left  to  her  dream- 
ing, for  a  peremptory  horn  sounded,  and 
Kate  and  Flora  were  calling  to  her  to  has- 
ten down  to  tea.  Downstairs,  in  a  simply- 
furnished  room,  with  large  P^rench  win- 
dows opening  on  a  wide  piazza,  they  found 
a  long  tea-table  spread  for  the  recent  ar- 
rivals— the  rest  of  the  party  having  already 
finished  their  evening  meal,  being,  indeed, 
too  hungry  to  wait  for  anybody. 

"For    we're   all    as   hungry    as   hawks 


126         g0uitt  the  givet  tu  the  ^ca- 


here !  "  doclared  one  of  the  merry  girls  in  a 
boating-dress.  "  Between  boating  and  fish- 
ing and  running  about,  we're  out  all  day 
long,  and  that  gives  one  no  end  of  an  appe- 
tite." 

After  tea  there  was  a  delicious  hoar  or 
two  on  the  veranda,  the  only  alloy  being  the 
visits  of  a  few  mosquitoes.  "  Nothing  like 
what  we  have  had,  however,"  Mrs.  Leslie 
observed.  "  We've  often  been  obliged  to  re- 
treat within  the  shelter  of  our  mosquito- 
blinds  in  the  evening.  But  to-morrow  will 
be  the  first  of  August,  and  we  are  not 
likely  to  be  troul)led  with  them  much 
longer." 

"  That  is  a  comfort !  "  exclaimed  Flora, 
who  seemed  to  be  a  favorite  victim  of  the 
troublesome  little  insects.  "  But  how 
startlingly  bright  the  fire-flies  are,"  she  said 
presently,  as  it  grew  darker,  and  the  scin- 
tillating living  sparks  of  fire — as  they 
seemed — flashed  in  and  out  of  the  trees,  giv- 
ing the  impression — as  Hugh  remarked— 
that  they  might  really  set  fire  to  them. 
And  presently  she  joyously  descried, 
faintly  visible  near  the  horizon,  a  silver 
thread  of  crescent  moon,  the  promiser  of 


Jjou'tt  the  ^ix'tx  to  the  ^ea. 


127 


^ 


much    additional    enjoyment    during    the 
weeks  of  their  stay. 

Next  morning  was  as  charming  a  morn- 
ing as  any  one  could  have  desiied  to  see. 
The  river  hiy  still  and  calm,  and  blue  as  a 
dream,  sleeping,  as  it  seemed,  in    the  em-  f,r: 

brace  of  the  clustering  green  islands,  whicli  U/>'^"^*\,.v*.- 
looked  so  fresh  and  so  cool  in  the  eai'ly  ^^ >/  *^  ■  -  u^ 
morning  light.  May  was  so  excited  that  i^i^ii^  * 
she  could  not  sleep  a  moment  after  tlie  first 
rosy  gleams  of  sunshine  stole  into  her 
casement,  whicli  she  had  left  wide  open, 
that  she  might  not  lose  a  moment  of  the 
view  which  had  so  delighted  her  the  even- 
ing before.  As  she  dressed,  she  feasted  her 
eyes  on  the  delicious  freshness  of  the  early 
morning)  on  the  exquisite  tint  of  the  water 
here  and  there,  just  rippled  by  the  faintest 
breeze,  the  soft,  distaiit,  blue  islands  that 
seemed  to  float  o\\  the  placid  stream  like 
"  purple  lol'js  of  Eden,"  the  rich  couorast  of 
dark  evergreen  and  rich  deciduous  foliage, 
on  the  nearer  shores,  till  it  all  seemed  too 
exquisite  for  a  reality,  and  in  the  stillness 
of  the  morning  she  felt  as  if  she  were  still 
in  a  dream. 

She  was  soon  dressed,  however,  and  has- 


128         §0mx  the  ^iva  U  the  ^ca. 


teiied  down,  eager  to  explore,  all  alone,  the 
island  where  she  was.  vShe  had  only  to  go 
a  few  steps  from  the  piazza  to  find  herself 
among  the  primitive  rocks,  crnsted  with 
gray  lichen  and  cushioned  with  soft,  velvet 
moss,  or  overhujig  with  the  glossy  foliage 
of  the  bear- berry  or  the  vines  of  the 
whortle-berry,  from  which  the  dark  blue 
fruit  was  dropping  as  she  raised  them. 
She  followed  a  winding  pathway  leading 
under  a  fragrant  archway  of  overhanging 
foliage,  which  wound  its  way  in  a  rambling 
fashion  about  the  island,  giving,  now  and 
then,  lovely  glimpses,  vistas  between  mossy 
banks  of  rock,  or  pretty  little  vignettes 
framed  in  by  an  overhanging  hendock.  At 
length,  after  making  pretty  nearly  the  tour  of 
'!he  island,  wending  her  way  among  thickets 
of  feathery  sumach  and  broad-leaved  rubus, 
bearing  deep  crimson  flowers,  with  long 
festoons  of  partr-dge-berry,  and  its  white, 
star-like  flowers  amid  the  pine-needles 
under  her  feet,  and  finding,  to  her  great 
delight,  some  specimens  of  the  exquisite, 
snowy  Indian-pipe,  looking — in  the  early 
morning  light — more  ghostly  than  ever — she 
found  herself  at  the  little  lauding  beside 


flaunt  the  ^itiTv  fa  the  ,^ea. 


129 


the  boiit-houso,  wiieie  they  had  disein- 
l):iiia'(l  oil  the  previous  evening-.  There  she 
Silt  down  to  rest  on  a  rustic  seat,  placed  so 
as  to  command  a  ciiarmin;;'  vista,  with  a 
tiny  ishind  in  the  foreg-roiind,  which  she  was 
al)sorbed  in  coiitemplaLin.i;',  when  the  plasli 
of  oars  broke  in  upon  lier  leverie,  and  slie 
turned  to  see  who  miji-ht  be  the  early  oars- 
man. It  was  Hugh  Macnab,  arrayecl  in 
white  flannels,  with  a  lovely  cluster  of  wild 
roses  in  his  h;uid.  He  <]jreeted  her  with  a 
smile  and  came  up  at  once,  holding  out  the 
roses  as  he  approached. 

"I  scarcely  expected  to  find  any  otie  up 
yet,"  he  said,  laughing.  "  I  came  out  just 
about  dawn,  to  have  the  full  enjoyment  of 
this  exquisite  morning,  and  thought  I 
v.'ould  try  a  little  cruise  by  myself  to  see 
whether  I  bad  forgotten  the  rowing  I 
learned  in  my  Oxford  summer.  And  I 
found  a  little  island  out  yonder,  so  in- 
viting for  a  swim  that  I  couldn't  resist  it. 
I  should  like  to  show  you  that  same  little 
island,' — he  added.  "  It's  only  a  little  way ; 
won't  you  come?  I>ut  what  is  that  you 
have  got  in  your  hand'?"  be  said,  looking 

at  the  waxen  flowers  she  held. 
9 


w 


130         gawtt  the  llitcr  to  the  Jrda. 

May  expliiiiied  whiit  the  ^^hostly  little 
plant  was,  and  he  eaj^erly  took  it  in  order  to 
examine  it.  "Oh,  yes,  Tve  read  of  tliis  cu- 
rious plant," — he  said.  "  I  am  so  g-lad  to 
actually  see  one !  Now,  su[)pose  we  ex- 
change bouquets,  if  you  will  take  my  roses 
lor  your  spectral  flowers.  I  brought  tlieni 
over  from  that  island,  intending  to  give 
them  to  the  lirst  lady  I  met.  Please  take 
them  ; — it's  a  case  of  the  early  bird  getting 
the  worm,  you  know." 

For  May  at  first  hesitated  a  little.  She 
felt  as  if  the  roses  ought  by  right  to  go  to 
Kate,  but  then  she  could  not  say  so.  So 
she  ended  by  thanking  him  as  gracefully  as 
her  embarrassment  would  let  her,  and  put- 
ting the  roses  carefully  in  her  belt.  They 
were  lovely  roses,  too,  of  a  pecnliarly  deep 
crimson,  as  the  late  wild  roses  are,  and 
glistening  still  with  the  early  dew.  Hugh 
placed  his  "Pipes"  carefully  in  bis  hat,  for 
the  present,  and  then  led  the  way  to  the 
pretty  cedar  skiff,  with  its  luxurious  cane 
east  chair  at  the  stern,  in  which  she  took 
her  seat,  with  a  little  inward  wonder 
whether  she  were  doing  cpiite  right,  and 
the  skiff  was  soon  rapidly  cleaving  its  way 


01 

e 
;n 
lei 


§o\xn  the  giver  to  the  ^ea,         131 


through  the  glassy  water  under  the  ([uick 
strokes  of  Hugh's  oar.  It  was  wonderful, 
she  thought,  how  nuich  he  seemed  to  have 
improved  in  health  and  si)irits  during  the 
fortniglit  which  had  passed  since  she  had 
first  met  him ;  and  how  much  more  color 
and  animation  he  now  had.  Surely,  she 
thought,  Kate  would  never  be  so  blind  as  to 
prefer  that  Mr.  Wintiirop,  who,  to  her  eye, 
was  so  much  less  attractive-looking  than 
Hugh!  She  was  too  nmch  preoccupied  in 
thinking  out  this  problem  to  say  nuich, 
though  she  could  silently  take  in  the  love- 
liness of  the  scene.  Rounding  a  rocky 
point  covered  with  wild  roses,  from  which 
Hugh  had  picked  his  bouquet,  they  found 
themselves  in  a  tiny  bay,  where  the  limpid 
wavelets  lapped  gently  upon  a  beach  of  sil- 
ver sand,  while  the  rocks  of  rosy  granite 
wliich  formed  the  bay  were  draped  in  part 
with  a  tangle  of  luxuriant  creepers  and 
crested  with  sweeping  pine-bouglis.  Pres- 
ently the  boat  grated  on  the  sandy  beach, 
and  Hugh  handed  her  out  of  the  boat  and 
led  the  way  to  a  granite  ledge  commanding 
an  exquisite  view  of  sleeping  river  and 
clustering    islets.    The    river    lay    almost 


ti 


Joan  the  ilivcv  to  the  '^tix. 


{iLsolutt'ly  still,  only  bjirred  here  Jiiicl  thero 
with  loii^  strciiks  of  iii)i)le  thiit  Ijotokencd 
Jill  iiiclpitMit  breeze.  The  heavy  inasses  of 
verdure  on  the  o[)po.site  shore  Jiiid  the  siir- 
roiindlng  isliinds  seemed  also  asleep;  only 
an  oeeasional  earol  of  a  bird  broke  the 
eharnied  silence.  May  and  her  eoinpanion 
were  very  silent  also,  for  ordinary  talk  in 
such  a  hpot,  at  sneli  an  honr,  seemed  well- 
nip^h  profane,  and  both  were  too  reserved  to 
express  the  deeper  feeliiif^s  the  scene  awak- 
ened. After  a  silent  interval,  May  turned 
to  call  Tlugh's  attention  to  a  distant  sail 
just  catching  the  still  slanting  rjiys  of  the 
sun,  when  she  noticed  that  he  had  taken  a 
slip  of  paper  which  had  been  lying  in  the 
boat  and  was  writing  rai)idly.  She  re- 
frained from  disturbing  him,  for  how  could 
she  tell  that  he  might  not  be  writing 
poetry?  But  he  had  caught  lier  movement, 
and  presently  stopped  writing  and  turned 
towards  her,  when  the  slip  of  paper,  which 
he  was  holding  carelessly,  was  caught  by 
the  freshening  breeze  and  carried  close  to 
her  feet.  She  naturally  stooped  to  pick  it 
up,  and  involuntarily  glancing  at  it,  could 
see  that  it  %Das  poetry ;  but  Hugh  caught  it 


Jouu  the  -itiicv  to  the  ^ca. 


B 


from  lier,  with  so  imicli  ii[)i>iin!ut  disco  ii- 
posure,  coloiiii;;'  vividly,  tiiat  Ma}'  t't-ll  sure 
he  was  aiiiioytid  by  liur  intervention,  and 
felt  a  little  uncomfortable;  the  more  so  be- 
cause she  could  not  say  anything  about  it. 
She  wondered  whether  the  verses  had  any 
reference  to  Kate,  since  he  seemed  so  nuich 
afraid  of  their  being-  seen.  They  rowed 
back  as  silently  as  they  had  come,  and  the 
momentary  annoyance  soon  cleared  off  the 
faces  of  both  under  the  potent  charm  of  the 
exrjuisite  beauty  around  them.  They  found 
only  the  children  astir;  but  Kate  and 
Flora,  when  they  came  down  soon  after  to 
breakfast,  were  very  curious  to  know  what 
iMay  had  been  doing  with  herself — out  all 
alone  "almost  before  daylight,"  they  de- 
clared— and  especially  curious  to  know  from 
whence  she  had  got  the  lovely  little  bou- 
quet of  wild  roses  that  looked  so  charming 
in  her  belt.  iJut  JMay  laughingly  declared 
that  she  did  not  intend  to  tell  where  she  got 
it;  and  llugli,  of  course,  said  nothing  a1)out 
it.  She  did  not,  however,  w'ear  it  long. 
The  roses  were  carefully  nut  away  before 
they  withered,  and  eventually  some  of  them 
were  pressed  to  serve  as  a  memento  of  the 


^1 


184 


Jijutt  the  ^ivm*  to  tlte  ^'ca. 


cr 


loveliest  inoniiiij^,  May  thou^^lit,  that  she  had 
ever  seen.  She  told  Kate,  however,  that 
Hugh  had  given  her  a  row  to  a  neighboring 
island,  feeling  a  little  guilty  as  she  diii  so. 
But  Kate  only  remarked,  as  if  the  thing 
were  a  matter  of  eourse:  "Well,  I'm  glad 
Hugh  has  gained  so  much  in  energy !  Since 
he  can  row  so  well,  I  sliall  make  him  row 
ine  about  everywhere !  " 

Both  she  and  Flora,  however,  soon  found 
that  they  had  an  embarrds  des  ric/iesses  in 
tlie  matter  of  rowing,  for  there  were  half  a 
dozen  youthful  oarsmen  ready  and  eager  to 
row  or  paddle  them  wherever  they  desired 
to  go,  so  that  TTugh's  services  were  not  so 
nnich  in  demand,  juid  it  happened,  not  in- 
frecpiently,  that  May  found  herself  his  com- 
panion in  their  boating  expeditions,  and  as 
she  had  not  had  much  opportunity  for  row- 
ing, he  undertook  to  teach  her  to  use  the 
oars  in  a  more  artistic  manner  than  she  had 
as  yet  attained,  which  proved  a  very  in- 
teresting occupation  to  both  ;  though  ISIay 
sometimes  regretted  that  Kate  so  often  de- 
clined to  acc()mi)any  them,  fancying  that  it 
really  hurt  Hugh. 

That  day  and  several  others  glided  cway 


gown  the  ^ivet  U  the  ^eu.         135 


only  too  swiftly.  Xo  one  could  imagine 
where  the  hours  hud  gone.  There  were 
evening  rows,  and  sails  in  a  good-sized  sail- 
boat, always  at  the  disposal  of  any  of  the 
party  who  cared  to  use  it,  and  aimless 
meanderings  through  the  tangled  paths  of 
the  island,  sometimes  with  the  ostensible 
object  of  berry-picking,  for  the  wild  rasp- 
berries were  still  found  in  great  abundance, 
and  were  in  great  I'ctpiest  for  breakfast  and 
tea.  In  the  forenoon  there  was  always  a 
general  bathing  party,  when  tlie  young  men 
took  themselves  to  one  end  of  the  island,  in 
order  to  practise  their  aquatic  feats  by 
themselves,  and  the  girls,  in  their  loose, 
short  bathing  suits,  disported  themselves  to 
their  hearts'  content  in  the  limpid  tide,  in  a 
pretty  little  sandy  bay,  lined  to  the  water's 
edge  with  luxuriant  foliage,  which  almost 
concealed  the  little  rustic  bathing  box. 
Then  there  was  the  luxurious  lounge,  with 
a  pleasant  book,  before  the  early  dinner,  in 
a  shady  corner  of  the  veranda,  for  these 
August  days  were  pretty  warm.  For  a 
while  after  dinner  there  was  a  suspiciously 
quiet  air  al)out  Sumach  Lodge,  as  it  was 
called ;  but  when  the  heat  of  the  day  began 


136         §om  the  iXiva  to  the  ^tiu 


to  give  place  to  the  cool  afternoon  breeze, 
the  little  party  began  to  wake  up  from  its 
siesta,  and  skiffs  and  canoes  were  hauled 
out  and  filled,  as  little  groups  departed  on 
various  expeditions,  some  simply  to  explore 
island  nooks,  some  to  fish,  and  some  to 
gather  the  water-lilies  which  grew  in  a 
secluded  bay  not  far  off,  or,  on  a  breezy 
afternoon,  to  try  a  sailing  cruise  in  a  pretty 
"  butterfly  "  sailboat  belonging  to  one  of  the 
young  men,  who  was  always  glad  to  nuister 
a  crew.  In  the  cool  of  the  evening  the 
"  boys  "  often  tried  their  canoe  races,  some- 
times playfully  wrestling  as  they  passed 
each  other,  for  they  never  minded  an  upset, 
but  were  back  in  their  canoes  again  almost 
as  soon  as  they  were  out  of  them.  And 
now  that  the  moon  was  rapidly  growing  in 
size  and  light,  no  one  wanted  to  do  anything 
in  the  evening,  but  sit  on  the  veranda  or  the 
shore,  and  enjoy  the  charming  moonlight 
effects.  May,  of  course,  was  never  tired  of 
watcliing  the  trenuilous  path  of  silver 
stretching  from  island  to  island,  or  the 
exquisite  effect  when  some  picturesque 
cluster  of  islets  stood  out  in  dark  relief  on 
wliat  seemed  a  silver  sea,  and — a  very  un- 


gottJtt  the  ^ivct  ta  the  ^e«.  137 


)f 


)U 

II- 


usual  phenomenon — when  the  shadow  of  the 
island  was  thrown  across  its  reflection  in 
the  scarcely  rippled  river.  Hugh  ^hicnab, 
like  herself,  seemed  fascinated  with  the 
mysterious  beauty  of  the  niooidit  scene, 
and  was  frequently  suspected  of  endeavor- 
ing to  reproduce  its  charm  in  verse. 

These  seemed  truly  enchanted  evenings, 
which  no  one  wished  to  cut  short,  so  that 
^hiy  found  that  the  late  hours  she  kept  at 
night  came  a  good  deal  in  the  way  of  the 
enjoyment  of  those  early  morning  hours 
which  she  had  at  first  thought  so  delight- 
ful. l>ut,  with  such  moonlight  pictures 
spread  around  them  for  their  delectation,  it 
seemed  a  waste  of  privileges  to  spend  any 
of  these  wonderful  hours  in  sleep ;  and  as 
tlie  moon  grew  later  and  later  so  did  the 
hours  of  the  junior  members  of  the  party. 

One  of  the  favorite  spots  which  May,  foi 
one,  was  never  tired  of  visiting,  either  un- 
der the  idealizing  influence  of  moonlight  or 
in  the  rich  glow  of  sunset,  was  a  charming 
little  land-locked  bay  which  wound  its  wa}-- 
for  some  distance  into  one  of  the  larger 
islands  in  the  vicinity.  The  entrance  looked 
like  any  other  curving  recess  of  the  shore, 


■  "t- 


i 


188         §o\xn  i\xt  "^S^vtv  io  iU  ^m. 

but,  once  witliiii,  it  was  a  surprise  to  find 
the  bay  continuing  its  course  like  a  tiny- 
river,  between  banks  of  high  jagged  crags, 
l)artially  draped  with  nodding  birch,  shaggy 
hemlock,  and  spreading  oak  and  maple. 
And  however  rough  the  waves  miglit  be 
outside  of  this  charmed  spot,  the  water 
within  was  always  calm  and  glassy  in  its 
stillness.  In  its  innermost  recess,  where 
further  progress  was  stayed  by  the  increas- 
ing shallowness  of  its  bed,  reeds  and  water- 
plants  grew  and  clustered,  water-lily  leaves 
lay  floating  as  if  asleep,  and  here  the  little 
basin  was  walled  in  on  one  side  by  a  sheer, 
bare  granite  cliff,  concave  towards  the  basin, 
[uid  evidently  worn  smooth,  in  the  long  past, 
l)y  the  action  of  grinding  ice,  though  its 
l)areness  was  relieved,  here  and  there,  by  a 
drooping  birch  or  a  cluster  of  shaggy  ferns. 
At  the  top  of  the  wall  of  scarred,  lichen- 
crusted  rock,  were  some  r^  the  curious  natu- 
ral perforations  known  iis  "pot-holes,"  ap- 
parently formed  by  the  action  of  a  stone 
revolving  in  a  crevice  under  glacial  action. 
The  opposite  bank  was  more  sloping  and 
densely  wooded,  and  the  effect  in  the  moon- 
light, under  a  rich  sunset  sky,  was  pecul- 


§own  the  ^mx  to  the  J-ea.         1B9 


iarly  striking  and  impressive.  This  se- 
cluded spot  was  sometimes  used  by  tlie 
summer  residents  of  tlie  iieigliboiliood  as  a 
natural  chapel,  where  a  little  cong-reg-ation 
assembled  in  their  boats  for  a  short  service, 
with  a  shorter  address,  in  circumstances 
which  might  well  recall  the  diviuest  sermon 
ever  preached;  and  made  Hugh  Macnab 
think  of  secret  services  attended  by  his 
covenanting  ancestors  in  the  secluded  High- 
land glens  which  hid  them  from  their  per- 
secutors. Very  different,  however,  were 
these  happy  meetings.  The  songs  of  praise 
seemed  to  gain  a  peculiar  sweetness  from 
the  tranquil  quietude  of  the  spot,  while  the 
vesper  carol  of  a  bird  occasionally  blended 
with  the  human  melody.  Every  part  of  the 
service  was  just  as  solemn  as  in  any  church 
built  with  hands,  and  the  very  novelty  of 
the  surroundings  tended  to  carry  some  of 
tlie  "  winged  words "  into  hearts  wliich 
might  have  heard  them  unlieedingly  under 
ordinary  circumstances. 

On  the  cooler  and  more  breezy  afternoons 
the  "butterfly  sailboat"  set  out  with  a 
merry  crew  for  a  more  extended  voyage,  fly- 
ing hither  and  thither,  as  the  wind  suited 


140         §own  the  stiver  io  the  $tih 


,  II 


and  inclination  prompted.  Or  the  little 
steam-yacht  was  called  into  service,  and  a 
large  party  would  start  for  a  pr()l()n<;e(l 
cruise,  vriuling  in  and  ont  of  the  many 
chaiiueis,  .is  the  fancy  guided,  steering 
down  the  broad,  breezy  reach  that  lay  be- 
tween the  main  shore  and  the  clustering 
islands,  with  the  cool,  sparkling  waves 
within  •  l;v.i>  'V  tlieir  liands,  as  the  little 
screw  tun"3u  .  ..-i;i  up  in  showers  of  spark- 
lin,L"  diainonds  on  '\vd  azu"e  behind,  while 
onelnvely   Ix.i)  nel  another  spread  itself 

before  them  m  'i:y,o<j  -  -lUig  vista.  Now 
they  were  passing  thickly  wooded  islands, 
cool  with  billowy  foliage — now  a  great  gran- 
ite fortress  rising  from  a  fringe  of  folinge, 
with  battlements  and  barbican,  escarpment 
and  buttress,  festooned  with  creepeis  and 
evergreens,  like  some  hoary  medieval  ruin. 
Anon,  they  were  gliding  through  some 
glassy  strait,  with  snowy  water  lilies  gleam- 
ing amid  the  dark  green  floating  leaves  that 
lined  the  sheltered  bays.  Again  their  course 
lay  under  a  line  of  frowning  cliffs,  crust  d 
with  moss  and  lichen,  and  tufted  with  ferns; 
and  presently  another  broad  channel  opened 
before  them,  through  which  they  could  catch 


Sown  the  JUvrv  to  the  ^ea.         141 


1,>L     v. 


distant  glimpses  of  clustered  tents,  or  sum- 
mer hotels,  or  a  pleasant  country  hoitse 
peeping  out  from  embowering  trees.  And, 
ever  and  anon,  they  passed  graceful  light 
variushed  skill's,  laden  with  hshing  parties, 
or  canoes  paddled  swiftly  by  skillful  hands, 
with  a  fair  maiden  reclining  luxuriously 
among  her  cushions ;  and  U;  each  the  little 
yacht  addressed  a  shrill  cheery  salutation, 
responded  to  by  waving  handkerchiefs  and 
hats,  as  each  party  desired  to  convey  an  ex- 
pression of  what  a  pleasant  time  they  were 
enjoying,  combined  with  good  wishes  for  the 
enjoyment  of  every  one  else. 

As  these  delightful  excursions  were  apt  to 
be  prolonged  for  some  hours,  their  hospit- 
able hostess,  knowing  that  people  are  apt  to 
be  hungry  under  such  circumstances,  had 
"afternoon  tea  "  set  out  on  the  little  table 
in  the  stern,  and  the  guests  tliought  that 
nowhere  did  coffee  and  cake  seem  so  deli- 
cious, while  merry  talk  and  ti'avelers' 
tales,  and  some  of  Flora's  Scotch  songs  en- 
lianced  the  enjoyment  of  the  happy  hours. 
Hugh,  who  had  a  good  tenor  voice,  would 
sometimes  join  his  sister  in  the  old-fash- 
ioned Jacobite  airs  which  had  been  familiar  to 


Ilii 


142        gown  the  llivft  U  the  ^eu. 

both  from  childhood,  such  as  "  A  Wee  Bird 
Caine  to  Our  Ila'  Door,"  or  "  Bonny  CharUe's 
Now  Awa'."  May  thought  she  had  heard 
few  songs  so  sweet  as  the  refrain  "  Will  ye, 
no  comeback  again  .■''''  One  verse  in  par- 
ticuhir,  seemed  to  catch  her  and  haunt  her : 

"  Sweet  the  lev'rock's  note,  and  lang. 
Lilting  wildly  down  the  glen, 
Still  to  me  he  sings  ae  song, 
Will  ye  no  come  back  again  ^  " 

And  sometimes  their  talk  would  drift  to 
graver  subjects,  as  they  returned  home- 
wards through  lovely  vistas  of  "purple  isles 
of  P]dcn,"  under  a  sky  flushed  with  the  rich 
glow  of  sunset,  making  the  calm  river  burn 
with  crimson  and  gold,  while  the  rich  claret 
lines  of  shadow  made  it  seem  as  if  the  water 
were  indeed  turned  into  wine,  and  the  peace 
of  the  purple  twilight  gradually  faded  into 
the  silvery  moonlight,  and  the  whole  lovely 
scene  seemed  hushed  into  a  gentle  slumber. 

Sometimes,  after  such  an  excursion,  when 
a  few  neighbors  had  joined  their  party,  at 
Sumach  Lodge,  the  young  folks  would  beg 
for  a  "  camp  fire,"  [ind  a  pile  of  brushwood, 
set  ready  on  the  rocks,  would  be  lighted,  and 


I 


I 


gowtt  the  2^iv(v  to  the  ^ea.         143 


the  party  would  sit  round  it,  telling  stories 
and  cracking  jokes,  and  singing  songs,  till  the 
rod  glare  of  the  fire  at  length  gave  way  to 
the  still  i)ale  moonlight,  and  at  last  they  re- 
luctantly broke  up,  scarcely  able  to  tear 
themselves  away  from  the  fascinations  of 
the  hour. 

A  still  longer  excursion  they  made  one 
day,  in  the  swift  steamer  "  Island  Wan- 
derer," which  they  took  at  Ganano(£ue,  and 
which  carried  them  by  much  the  same  route 
foi"  a  longer  distance,  down  the  turns  and 
twists  of  the  "  Lost  Channel "  to  the  little 
hamlet  of  Rockport ;  then — crossing  swiftly 
to  the  quiet  shady  resort  of  Westminster 
Park  on  Well's  Island — carried  them  around 
its  bold  wooded  headland,  to  the  villa-studded 
archipelago  that  teems  with  island-para- 
dises, turrets,  pagodas,  fairy  bridges,  till  it 
almost  reminds  the  visitor  of  a  willow  pat- 
tern plate,  and  on  to  the  little  town  of  Al- 
exandria Bay,  with  its  monster  hotels.  Here 
Kate  showed  them  a  spot  most  interesting 
to  jNIay — the  pretty  mansion  of  "  Uonniecas- 
tle,"  for  years  the  summer  home  of  Dr.  Hol- 
land, the  first  editor  of  the  Centurn  maga- 
zine, and  author  of  "Arthur  Bomiiecastle," 


144         Joan  the  X\ivtx  ta  the  ^ca. 


after  which  ho  iiaincd  this  pleasant  home. 
Kate  tohl  them  how  he  had  once  huided  in  liis 
titeain-yacht  at  ail  ishuidon  which  she  liad 
heeii  pieiiickin;^  at  the  tliiie,aiid  how  eliarnuid 
she  and  her  friends  liadheen  with  his  genial 
personaUty  and  talk.  Tlicn  they  steamed 
swiftly  through  the  hewildering  succession 
of  castles  and  cottages  of  every  conceivahle 
variety,  which  make  the  American  channel 
here  seem  like  a  long  waterway  or  street, 
lined  by  suburban  villas.  May  did  not  much 
like  the  extent  to  which  the  islands  had  been 
trinnnedand  smoothed  out  of  the  shaggy  in- 
dividuality of  their  primitive  state;  and 
Hugh  and  Flora  emphatically  agreed  with 
lier,  in  preferring  the  comparative  wildness 
of  the  Canadian  channel,  where  the  islands 
still  retain  tliei'*  wild  sylvan  charm. 

They  scanned  with  interest  the  great 
caravanserai  of  Thousand  Island  Park,  with 
its  streets  luid  avenues  of  tents  and  cottages 
and  crowds  of  tourists;  and  then,  just  as 
they  were  leaving  the  little  cluster  of  coun- 
try houses  at  Round  Island,  a  gentleman  in 
a  light-gray  suit,  carrying  a  valise  and  over- 
coat, came  briskly  on  board,  speedily  recog- 
nized by  May  as  Mr.  AVinthroi),  who,  com- 


noun  the  ?Uvcv  to  the  ,$c«.  145 


nit 
■itli 
cres 

un- 
1  iu 

•er- 

)iii- 


ing  up  to  greet  the  party,  (Icclaicd  liiinself 
bound  for  Suiiiacli  Lodge.  It  was  curious, 
May  thought,  how  he  seemed  to  have  a 
faculty  for  joming  them  at  the  most  op[)or- 
tune  moments,  and  she  wondered  much 
whether  he  had  any  private  means  of  trac- 
ing tlie  movements  of  the  party.  On  tliis 
occasion,  Kate,  at  all  events,  took  his  ap- 
pearance with  a  coolness  in  keeping  with 
tlie  nonchalance  of  his  manner.  In  fact. 
Flora  declared  privately  to  Mny  that  they 
were  both  "  refreshingly  cool  for  a  warm 
day,"  a  remark  which  May  thought  a  trifle 
heartless,  considering  that  this  addition  to 
the  party  must  be  a  "  thorn  in  the  flesh  "  to 
her  brother.  However,  he  betrayed  no  visi- 
ble annoyance,  but  talked  very  pleasantly 
with  Mr.  Winthrop,  all  the  way  home,  dis- 
cussing politics,  British  and  American  and 
Canadian,  including  the"  Behring  Sea"  dif- 
ficulty, which  last  they  had  not  settled,  even 
when  they  had  arrived  at  Sumach  Lodge, 
and  the  discussion  w^as  finally  terminated 
by  the  ringing  of  the  tea-bell. 

After  tea,  such  of  the  party  as  were  not 
tired  out  by  the  long  day's  outing,  dispersed 

in  various  directions  to  enjoy  the  cool  air 
10 


146        jou'tt  the  JUvct  to  the  Jlea. 

luid  Uk;  niooiiliglit  oh  tliu  river.  Mr.  Win- 
tlu't)])  jiiicl  Kate  hud  inysterioiisly  disap- 
peared, and  so  liad  one  ot"  tlie  slcitls.  Ilugli 
Maenab,  who  had  become  qniie  expert  at 
mannging  a  eanoe,  asked  liis  sister  and  May 
to  let  him  paddle  them  both  as  far  as  tlie 
favorite  nook  nh'cady  referred  to,  and  l)otli 
willingly  agreed.  IJut  Flora,  jnst  at  start- 
ing, was  elainuMl  by  one  of  the  boys,  Avho 
was  lier  special  slave,  and  not  liking  to  dis- 
ap[)onit  him,  she  good-naturedly  consented 
to  go  in  ///■>•  boat  instead.  Flora  and  her 
cavalier  followed  in  the  wake  of  some  of  the 
other  young  people,  and  her  fresh  Scotch 
voice  was  soon  heard  warbling  her  favorite 
refrain : — 


■  ■(i 


"  And  carry  the  lad  that  was  born  to  be  king 
Over  the  hills  to  Skyo  ! " 

"  That  sounds  out  of  place  here^  some- 
how," said  Hugh.  "This  new  world  has 
nothing  to  do  with  our  old  Jacol)ite  strug- 
gles. It  ought  to  be  one  of  those  pretty 
French  Canadian  airs,  at  least."  And  he 
hummed  "  La  Claire  Fontahie^^  which  had 
greatly  taken  his  fancy,  with  its  pretty 
chorus, — 


5ou'u  the  Jlivcr  to  the  .!ica. 


147 


"  ////  (I  lonrjti'inpH  qn  Jc  t'ttiiuG 

which  certiiiiily  seemed  iniich  more  in  har- 
mony with  the  ex(inisiLe  summer  evenin;^ 
and  the  light,  ghding  motion  of  the  little 
canoe,  us  it  hounded  foi'Wiird  so  noiselessly 
under  the  Jishen  paddle,  over  the  purple  and 
crimson  tide. 

Neither  seemed  disposed  to  talk.  The 
beauty  of  the  evening-,  for  one  thing,  was 
too  al)Sorl)ing  to  encourage  nuich  conversa- 
tion. Moreover,  INIay  was  still  worrying  a 
liltleoverthethree-corneredprohleniof  Kate 
ami  Hugh  and  3Ir.  Winthrop,  ami  thought 
that  Hugh's  uKditations  were  possibly  wan- 
dering in  a  somewhat  similar  din  lion. 
They  entered  the  "Lonely  IJay  "  very  quietly, 
as  was  their  wont.  The  spot  seemed  like  a 
church,  in  which  loud  tones  or  careless 
words  were  a  desecration.  As  the  canoe 
glided  noiselessly  into  the  deep  shadow  of 
the  high  crags,  they  l)oth  became  aware 
that  another  boat  had  come  in  before  them, 
and  was  lying  motionless  in  the  inmost  re- 
cess of  the  little  basin.  The  occupants 
were  unconscious  of  any  intrusion  on  their 
solitude,  and,  as  Hugh  paused,  irresolute 


148        |j0att  the  giitt  to  the  jlea. 


whether  to  proceed  or  not,  a  few  low  spoken 
words  reached  their  ears  hi  JNIr.  Wiiilhr()[)\s 
very  distinct  eininciation — words  that  both 
thought  were :  "  Then  I  need  not  altogether 
despair ! " 

May  colored  to  the  very  roots  of  her  hair, 
feeling  by  proxy  the  "pang"  which  she  be- 
lieved Hugh  must  experience,  as  he  silently 
but  swiftly  rowed  away,  lest  they  should 
involuntarily  hear  any  more  of  so  very 
confidential  a  conversation.  Whether  the 
other  pair  heard  the  sound  of  the  light  dip 
of  the  retreating  paddle  they  could  not  tell ; 
and  not  a  word  was  exchanged  between 
them  concerning  the  unexpected  rencontre^ 
both  feeling  the  subject  too  delicate  to 
touch. 

But  lis  they  were  rowing  slowly  home- 
ward, by  a  circuitous  route,  the  other  boat 
overtook  thuni,  and  they  rowed  side  by  side 
for  the  remainder  of  the  way,  IMr.  Winthrop 
evidently  exerting  himself  to  talk,  while 
Kate  renijiined  unusually  silent.  The  moon 
— rather  more  than  half  full,  flooded  the  air 
and  river  with  her  silvery  light;  and  on  one 
side  of  them  lay  a  glittering  expanse,  stud- 
ded with  the  dark  silhouettes  of  islands. 


goa'tt  the  ^xxii'  to  the  ^eu.         149 

Mr.  Winthi'op  quoted  some  of  the  well- 
known  lines  from  the  Merchant  of  Ven- 
ice, "On  such  II  night,"  etc.,  Hugh  heli)ing 
him  out  when  he  halted  for  a  line.  And 
then  Kate  asked  Hugh  wlietlier  he  could 
not  recite  something  appropriate  to  the 
scene. 

"  Original,  if  possible ;  if  not,  then  quoted. 
And  we  won't  even  ask  you  whether  it  is 
original,  or  not,"  she  added.  "You  know, 
we  can't  hear  the  quotation  marks." 

"On  that  condition,  1  will,"  jsaid  Hugh, 
and,  after  a  few  moments'  thougiit,  iie  be- 
gan :— 


"  Never  a  ripple  on  all  the  river 

As  it  lies  like  a  mirror  beneath  the  moon, 
Only  the  shadows  tremble  and  quiver, 

With  the  lialmy  breath  of  a  ni<);ht  in  Jnne  ; 
All  (lark  and  silont,  each  shadowy  island 

Like  a  silhouette  lies  on  the  siivei'  ground, 
While,  just  above  us,  a  rocky  hi{.!;hland 
Towers  grim   and  dusk,  with  its  pine  trees 
crowned. 


Never  a  sound,  save  the  oar's  soft  splashing, 
As  the  boat  drifts  idly  the  shore  along. 

And  the  arrowy  fireflies,  silently  flashing, 
Gleam,  living  diamonds,  the  woods  among  I 


Ill  > 


150         §0xmt  the  ^ivtx  to  the  ^tn. 

And  thp  night-hawk  darts  o'er  the  bay's  broad 
bosom, 
And  the  loon's  laugh  breaks  on  the  midnight 
calm, 
And  the  luscious  breath  of  the  wild  vine's  blos- 
som, 
Wafts  from  the  rocks,  like  a  tide  of  balm  ! 

Drifting,  why  cannot  we  drift  forever 

Let  all  the  world  and  its  worries  go  ! — 
Let  us  Iloat  and  float  on  the  flowing  river, 

Wliitlier, — we  neither  care  nor  know  ; — 
Dreaming  a  dream,  might  we  ne'er  awaken  ! 

There's  joy  enough  in  this  passive  bliss  ; 
The  wrestling  crowd  and  its  cares  forsaken 

Was  ever  Nivrana  more  blest  than  this  ? 

Nay  !  but  our  hearts  are  forever  lifting 

The  screen  of  the  present, — however  fair, — 
Not  long,  not  long,  may  we  go  on  drifting, — 

Not  long  enjoy  surcease  from  care  ! 
Ours  is  a  nobler  task  and  guerdon 

TI\an  aimless,  drifting,  however  blest  ; 
Only  the  heart  that  can  bear  the  burden 

Can  share  the  joy  of  the  victor's  rest  I " 

"  Well,  T  appreciate  the  pooti'v,  of  course," 
said  I\[r.  Winthi-op,  when  Kate  had  duly 
thanked  tlie  reciter,  "but,  I  am  glad  t/iai 
did  not  come  from  me  !  We  Americans  are 
always  geltino-  tlie  credit  of  l)eing  loo  rest- 
less for  repose, — for  enjoying-  anything  in  a 


gawu  the  JKivcv  to  the  ^ea.         151 

leisurely  manner.  But  it  seems  there  are 
other  people  who,  like  Faust,  cannot  say  to 
the  present  moment,  '  Stay,  thou  art  fair  ! ' " 
"I'm  afraid  that's  a  trait  of  the  age," 
replied  Ilugli.  "  liut  I  rather  think  it  is 
nobler,  on  the  wliole,  to  be  always  '  pressing 
on  to  the  things  that  are  before.' " 

''  We  look  before  and  after 
And  pine  for  what  is  not ! " 

quoted  Mr.  Winthrop — "  even  in  the  beauty 
of  this  exquisite  night." 

And  after  that  no  words  were  spoken  till 
the  two  canoes  grated,  almost  at  the  same 
moment,  on  tiie  pebbly  beach. 

The  sojourn  at  Sumach  Lodge  was  now 
nearly  at  an  end,  for  our  party  had  still  far 
to  go,  and  much  to  see.  The  next  day  was 
to  be  devoted  to  an  excursion  in  the  steam- 
yacht  to  a  bit  of  very  pict.iresque  scenery 
some  few  miles  down  the  main  shore  of 
the  river — "a  miniature  Saguenay,"  as  Mr. 
Leslie  described  it,  and,  at  the  same  time, 
they  w^ere  to  get  a  glimpse  of  the  Canoe 
Camp  which  had  been  just  opened,  and 
which  was  to  have  an  illumination  in  the 
evening  that  they  all  wanted  to  see. 


vmu 


I 


II  i  i 


'li! 


152         Joun  i\\t  %\xvtx  to  t\\t  <^a. 

They  started  early  next  iiiovning  for  Hal- 
stead  Bay,  where  the  picturesque  little 
"  rift  "  or  canon  began.  The  Oneida  carried 
thein  swiftly  down  the  few  miles  of  river, 
till  within  the  curve  of  the  bay  which  was 
hemmed  in  by  high  wooded  hills,  where 
they  disembarked  from  the  yacht,  in  which 
they  could  not  proceed  much  further,  and 
had  recourse  to  the  skiffs  which  they  had 
brought  in  tow.  As  they  rowed  farther  u}), 
the  hills  drew  nearer  to  the  bay  or  creek 
until  they  became  almost  sheer  precipices, 
rising  up,  weather-worn  and  splintered, 
from  the  narrowing  channel,  which  ^^  as  full 
of  reeds  and  water  plants  and  fleets  of 
water-lilies,  from  which  they  supplied 
themselves  to  their  hearts'  content.  Here 
and  there  the  stern  rugged  crags  were  fes- 
tooned with  trailing  plants  and  delicate 
harebells,  in  what  May  declared  were  nat- 
ural hanging  baskets.  Cranes  and  water- 
hens  flew  up  from  the  tall  sedges,  and  Kate 
pointed  out  to  Mr.  Winthrop  a  fine  loon 
diving  for  his  food.  "  Very  likely  you  will 
hear  him  laugh,  by  and  by," — said  Kate,  for 
he  had  been  expressing  some  curiosity  as  to 
the  loon's  laugh  in  the  verses  Hugh  had  re- 


Joint  the  ^ivcv  to  the  ^tix.         153 


cited.  "  We  often  hear  its  '  hiuf^h '  at  Su- 
mach Lodge,"  she  said,  "  and  very  weird  it 
sounds  iit  night.  1  don't  know  wlietlier  its 
elfin  'langir  or  its  cry  seems  tlie  most  un- 
carniy.  It  has  interested  Ilugli  so  nmeli, 
and  so  lias  tlieohl  legend  of  Clote- scarp  and 
the  loon." 

And  as  Mr.  \yinthrop  had  never  heard 
this  legend,  Ilugh  told  the  Indian  story, 
how  Clote-scari),  or  (xlooscap — the  Mic- 
mac  Hiawatha,  had  at  length,  wearied 
with  the  cruelty  and  wickedness  of  man 
and  the  si'vaq-e  warfare  of  the  brute  crea- 
tion,  depart  id  from  the  land  nntil  the  reign 
of  peace  should  he  re-establislicd;  and  that 
the  loon  awaits  his  return,  and  laments  his 
absence  in  the  melancholy  cry  which  it  ut- 
ters from  time  to  time.  "  Curious,"  he 
added,  "how  that  idea  of  the  Deliverer, 
tem[)()rarily  departed,  seems  to  have  taken 
root  in  all  lands,  from  Arthur  and  Harbii- 
roosa  to  Hiawatha  and  Clote-scarp.  J^ut 
what  a  magniilcent  clitt' that  is!"  for  now 
they  had  nearly  reached  the  head  of  the  lit- 
tle cano)!^  and  the  higher  bluffs  seemed  to 
grow  grander  and  more  picturesc^ue  as  the 
channel  narrowed. 


Mfi   , 


\  t 


If!! 


Ill 


I 

il 
i  ii 
II 
il 


1 


154         §om\  tHc  llivcv  to  the  ^ea. 

"It  is  really  a  very  good  reduction  of  the 
Saguenay,"  said  Mr.  Wiiithrop,  "and  the 
scale  of  j)ro[)ortion  is  vei'y  well  carried  out. 
That,  for  instance,  would  do  very  well  for  a 
miniature  Cape  Eternity,  ikit  it  is  as  well 
to  see  t/ii'n  ftrxtf'' 

At  the  head  of  the  canon  the  crags  closed 
up,  leaving  only  a  narrow  channel,  through 
which  !i  tiny  stream  struggled  through  the 
great  rugged  boulders  in  a  miniature  cas- 
cade. They  all  landed  and  amused  them- 
selves for  some  time  in  scrambling  about 
among  the  rocks,  trying  to  thread  the  course 
of  the  streamlet,  or  climbing  the  neighbor- 
ing hill,  from  which  some  of  the  young 
men,  including  Hugh  and  Mr.  Winthrop, 
reported  a  magnificent  view.  The  less  am- 
bitious of  the  party  strolled  about  at  the 
lower  level,  plucking  raspberries  which  grew 
in  great  abundance  among  the  rocks,  while 
Flora  tried  to  sketch  roughly  the  charming 
view  from  the  high  ground  above  the  little 
waterfall.  Too  soon,  as  it  seemed,  the 
order  was  given  to  re-embark  and  descend 
the  canon  to  the  bay,  where  the  steam- 
yacht  had  been  left,  and  where  their  lunch 
was  also  awaiting  them.    Mrs.  Leslie  with 


goivu  the  ?livcv  to  the  ^ea.         155 


ittle 
the 
ceiul 
eaiu- 
uncli 
with 


Mrs.  Sfindfnrd  and  one  or  two  ladies  who  had 
visited  the  phiee  before,  had  remained  near 
the  steam-yacht,  and  when  the  party  in  the 
skitt's  returned, — a  little  hot  and  very  hun- 
gry,— they  found  a  most  attractive-looking 
luncheon,  with  fresh  fruit,  iced  milk  and 
various  other  luxuries  most  tempting  to 
tired  sight-seers  on  a  warm  day,  spread  on 
a  charming  point,  with  glimpses  of  still 
waters  and  beds  of  snowy  water  lilies  on 
both  sides  of  its  wooded  slope. 

After  thoroughly  enjoying  their  luncheon, 
they  all  had  a  long  rest  under  the  softly 
waving  trees,  through  which  a  light  breeze 
was  whispering,  cooling  the  noontide  he;it 
of  the  August  day.  Then  they  re-embarked 
on  the  steam-yacht  and  directed  tlieir 
course  across  the  river  towards  the  (Mnoe 
Camp,  which  was  pitched  on  a  picturesque 
island  most  admirably  adapted  for  its  pur- 
poses. They  soon  encountered  token  of  its 
presence,  in  the  light  canoes  which  dnrted 
gracefully  hither  and  thitlier,  some  of  them 
winged  by  the  daintiest  little  snowy  sails, 
looking  like  white  butterflies  as  they  danced 
over  the  sparkling  blue  waves  ripi)led  by 
the  freshenins:  afternoon  breeze.   The  steam 


156         Joan  the  givcf  U  the  <^a. 


in 


launch  soon  glided  up  to  the  lunding  pier, 
in  a  sheltered  bay  overlooked  by  charming 
wooded  slo[)es,  on  which  gleamed  the  white 
tents  which  dotted  the  i.sland.  It  abounded 
in  pretty  sheltered  coves,  each  of  which 
formed  the  liarbor  for  a  little  fleet  of  canoes 
belonging  to  some  particular  club— all  nearly 
uniform  in  pattern.  Some  of  the  clul)s  used 
"  IJob  lioy  "  canoes,  which  were  marvels  of 
beauty,  with  their  finely  polished  wood,  and 
paddles,  and  luxurious  silver  mountings. 
Each  club  had  its  tents  near  its  harbor,  and 
a  hii'ge  marquee  did  duty  as  a  connnon 
dining-hall.  The  lady  members  of  the  asso- 
ciation had  their  own  particular  little  set- 
tlement, wliich  was  called  the  "Squaw's 
Point."  Cam[)  fires  were  lighted  here  aii-l 
(here,  carrying  out  the  primitive  Indi:;!! 
character  of  the  whole.  The  party  liiid 
just  time  for  a  hasty  stroll  about  the  island 
before  the  beginning  of  the  races,  whicii 
they  had  the  best  opportunity  of  witnessing 
from  their  steiim-yacht,  carrying  them  fiom 
point  to  point,  in  order  to  extend  their 
view  at  will. 

Some  of  the  races  were  so-called  "hurdle 
races,"  in  which  the  racer  went  through  a 


Joan  the  i^iict  to  the  ^ea.         if)! 

variety  of  perforinjiiices,  Hwiinining-  a  few 
liuiidred  yards,  then  getting  into  liis  canoe, 
paddling  it  for  a  certain  distance,  and  in  re- 
turning, u[)setting  it,  rigliting  it  again  and 
[)addling  to  shore.  These  last  nianteuvres 
caused  great  fun  and  excitement,  'i'he 
[)arty  in  tlie  steam  lainicli  had  a  number  of 
acquaintances  at  the  camp,  and  Kate  was 
soon  discovered  by  various  youths  in 
parti-colored  flannels,  wlio  gathered  around 
her  for  a  chat  in  the  intervals  of  tlie  races; 
Hugh  being  eager  to  hear  all  he  could  con- 
cerning the  art  of  paddling,  which  he  had 
been  practising  on  every  available  o])por- 
tmiity  during  his  stay  among  the  islands. 
The  afternoon  flew  swiftly  by,  and,  Avhen 
tea-time  came,  the  yacht  party  had  invita- 
tions to  tea  hi  several  tents,  and  distributed 
themselves  accordingly.  After  tea,  a  visit- 
ing band  discoursed  nuisic  as  the  evening 
shades  grew  on ;  and  then  came  the  great 
sight  of  the  evening. 

Suddenly  the  clusters  of  tents  gleamed 
out  like  brilliant  constellations  amid  the 
(lark  foliage,  while  the  canoes,  which  had 
been  formed  into  a  long  snake-like  coil 
were  decked  from  stem  to  stern  with  flam- 


158        gown  the  givft  to  the  ^ca. 


iilM 


beaux  and  Chinese  lanterns,  some  of  these 
being  curiously  arranged  so  as  to  imitate 
the  forms  of  animals.  The  swan  was  the 
favorite  design,  and  the  most  easily  man- 
aged, but  there  were  elepliants,  camels  and 
other  still  more  curious  imitations.  At 
short  intervals,  rockets  and  Homan  candles 
went  up  with  a  rush  and  roar,  and  some 
Greek  fire  on  the  beach  threw  a  rich  roseate 
light  over  the  wonderful  scene.  The  steam- 
yacht  darted  about  hither  and  thither,  the 
better  to  command  the  whole  view.  Hugh 
and  Flora  were  enchanted,  and  declared 
that  they  could  almost  imagine  themselves 
in  a  gondola  in  Venice,  so  brilliant  was  the 
effect  of  the  procession  of  illuminated 
boats,  and  the  cordon  of  lights  which 
studded  the  sombre  background  of  the 
island.  As  the  fiery  serpent  began  to  coil 
and  uncoil  itself  on  the  dark  river,  while  the 
rockets  sparkled  against  the  sky,  and  the 
moon — partially  obscured — threw  fitful 
gleams  between  slow-moving  clouds  upon 
the  distant  islands,  it  seemed  more  like  a 
transformation  scene  on  the  stage  than  one 
of  actual  reality,  the  contrast  of  the  blaze 
of  artificial   light  with  the  calm  serenity 


Jloivu  the  Ww'w  to  the  ^oa. 


159 


of  the  inoonbeiiiiis  being  singuhirly  strik- 
ing. 

l>ut  our  friends  had  hud  ii  long  day  of  it, 
and  were  beginning  to  feel  its  fatiguing 
effects,  so  that  no  one  felt  inclined  to  object 
when  Mr.  Leslie  gave  the  order  for  depart- 
ing, and,  in  a  few  niiiuites,  tiiey  found  them- 
selves far  away  from  the  brilliant  scene, 
steaming  quietly  thr(nigh  lonely  channels 
where  the  moonlit  waves  l)roke  softly  on 
l)ebbly  shores,  under  dark  overhanging 
boughs  of  hemlock  and  pine, 

May  awoke  next  morning  with  the  regret- 
ful thought  that  it  was  her  last  dav  at 
Sumach  Lodge.  It  was  mainly  devoted  to 
farewell  visits  to  all  the  favorite  haunts 
which  would  remain  graven  on  her  mind— 
at  least  for  years  to  come.  In  the  afternoon 
Mr.  Winthrop  announced  that  he  must  go 
to  Gananoqne  in  order  to  telegraph  to  New 
York,  for  he  had  been  recently  talking — to 
May's  inward  consternation — of  joining 
their  party  on  the  trip  to  the  Saguenay. 
She  felt  sure  it  would  spoil  Hugh's  pleas- 
ure, at  any  rate.  Ihit  Kate  showed  no  de- 
sire to  veto  the  plau;  on  the  contrary,  May 
had  misgivings  that  her  cousin  had  no  ob- 


Kio         Joivu  the  l^ufv  to  the  ^ca. 


jectinn  to  it.  Tlieir  ^ood-iuitiircd  liost  at 
(uux;  ordered  the  sleain-yaeht  for  JMr.  Wiii- 
tlirop,  and  a  few  of  the  guests  Avilliiiu,-ly 
aceoin[)aiiied  thein,  iiieliidhi^  Fh)rii,  avIio 
lost  no  op[)orliniiLy  of  glidhig  about  h»  that 
delightful  httle  vessel, — Kate  and  iMiiy  pre- 
ferring  not  to  lose  an  lionr  of  their  now 
short  stay  on  the  island.  One  of  her  youtli- 
ful  admirers,  however,  the  youth  who  owned 
the  "butterfly  sailboat,"  coaxed  Kate  to 
take  a  last  short  sail  with  him  in  the  invit- 
ingly freshening  breeze.  No  one  noticed, 
however,  that  the  sky  had  gradually  clouded 
over  and  become  grey  instead  of  blue, 
while,  despite  the  breeze,  the  air  had  grown 
very  sultry.  Hugh  noticed  it  at  last  from 
the  quiet  nook  where  he  sat  reading,  and 
came  slowly  back  towards  the  house,  where 
he  found  May  reclining  in  a  hammock  on  tlie 
veranda,  professedly  reading,  l)ut  in  reality 
half  asleep,  while  INIrs.  Sandford,  close  by, 
was  complacently  noddhig  over  her  knitting. 
"  Where  are  all  the  rest  of  you  ?  "  he  in- 

seems  desert 


quiri 


u 


place 


» " 


May  explained  that  Plora  had  gone  wiv 
the  party  in  the  steam-yacht,  while  mosi, 
of  the  boys  had  gone  off  with  their  boats  to 


Jjoirn  the  %\\'tx  io  the  feu. 


Ifil 


the  otlier  end  of  the  islund  for  a  swim,  and 
that  Kate  had  "jioiie out  with  Dick  Morris  in 
liis  "butterfly  sailboat." 

"I  hope  tiiey  haven't  jo^one  far,"  he  said. 
"  We  are  goin;^*  to  have  a  treinen<h)us  storm. 
rU  ;.;'o  and  si<^nal  them  ])aek." 

May  si)ranj;*  out  of  her  hammoc^k  and 
looked  about  her,  while  Mrs.  Sandford  got 
into  a  Hurry  of  alarm  at  once.  Certaiidy  the 
sky  had  a  rather  alarmini^  a[)pearance.  A 
threat  black  cloud  had  swe[)t  down  frou)  the 
southwest,  flanked  by  another  that  seemed 
to  extend  over  the  whole  river  in  two  j^'reat 
curves  orscollo])s  of  dark  slate  color,  ed^^-ed 
with  a  strange  light  bluish  gray  that  had  a 
lurid  and  terrible  etl'eet.  The  river,  usually 
so  softly  blue,  had  darkened  in  the  distance 
to  an  inky  blackness,  while  somewhat  nearer 
it  assumed  an  angry  grey.  As  yet  the 
stretch  of  water  in  front  of  the  island  seemed 
comparatively  calm,  but,  two  or  three  miles 
a\A'  ly,  sails  were  flying  at  full  speed  before  a 

ong  gale.    The  squall  was  evidently  com- 

up  fast,  and  the  "  butterfly  sailboat "  was 

oome  distance  out  and  would  certainly  feel  it 

very  soon.    The  steam-yacht  was  swiftly  ap- 

proachinr  the  pier  from  a  different  direction. 

11 


162         §om  the  Uivcr  to  the  ^ea. 


Hugh  said  not  a  word,  Lut  began  to  un- 
moor the  lightest  of  tlie  only  two  skiffs  that 
lay  at  the  landing,  to  which  they  had  hur- 
ried, while  May  watched  the  sailboat  through 
an  opera-glass. 

"  The  squall  has  caught  it  now !  "  she  said, 
as  Hugh  was  busy  with  the  boat.  "Oh,  I'm 
afraid  it  is  upsetting !  " 

"  W/iatf^  exclaimed  Hugh,  anxiously 
watching  the  little  craft  as  the  sail  dipped 
lower,  and  lower,  and  lower,  and  finally  lay 
flat  on  the  waves.  Hugh  in  the  meantime 
had  hastily  pulled  off  his  boots  and  jumped 
into  the  skiff',  find  now  threw  his  watch  into 
IMay's  hands,  seized  the  oars  and  pushed  out 
in  hot  haste.  Meantime  the  steam-yacht  had 
arrived  at  tlie  pier,  a  little  way  off,  and  Mr. 
Winthrop,  coming  up,  took  in  the  situation 
at  a  glance.  He  almost  snjitched  the  opera- 
glass  from  May,  looked  through  it,  and  then 
rushed  out  on  the  landing-stage,  from  which 
Hugh's  boat  was  swiftly  receding. 

"Stop!"  he  shouted^  "and  let  me  go, 
too !  "  The  voice  scarcely  seemed  like  IVIr. 
Winthrop's  usunlly  suave  and  even  tones. 
It  had  a  ring  not  only  of  anxiety,  but  of 
passion  and  command.    But  it  had  no  effect 


Sm\t  the  Sim  to  the  Ji ea.         163 


cu 


Mr. 
lones. 

lit  of 
jSect 


on  Hugh.  He  only  shook  his  head  as  he 
called  out,  "  No  time  to  delay ! "  and  rowed 
on,  at  a  pace  that  frightened  May,  into  the 
teeth  of  the  waves,  which  were  now  dashing 
themselves  into  snowy  wreaths  of  foam, 
while  the  trees  were  lashing  their  branches 
about,  as  if  in  agony.  Meantime  she  had 
caught  up  the  opera-glass  which  Mr.  Win- 
throp  had  thrown  down,  and  could  see  that 
the  boat  had  partially  righted  itself,  and 
that  Kate  and  her  young  cavalier  were 
chnging  to  its  side,  helplessly  drifting  be- 
fore the  wind.  Mrs.  Sandford,  who  had 
now  reached  the  landing,  stood  crying  and 
wringing  her  hands  in  a  way  that  intensi- 
fied May's  own  terror. 

Meantime  Mr.  Winthrop  had  hurriedly 
looked  round  for  the  only  skitf  left,  which 
was  a  heavy  and  awkward  one,  but  seldom 
used.  He  did  not  hesitate,  however,  but 
jumped  in  and  made  what  speed  he  could 
towards  the  craft  in  distress,  towards  which 
Hugh  by  this  time  was  half-way  out.  May 
breathlessly  watched  him  as  he  rapidly  cov- 
ered the  remaining  distance.  Then  she  could 
see  him  help  Kate  from  her  perilous  hold  into 
the  skitf,  and  the  young  man  into  the  sail- 


'1 


m  li  ii!  i 


164        §m\x  the  ^ivev  t^  the  ^ea. 

boat,  which  the  efforts  of  the  two  men 
had  soon  righted,  after  which  Hugh  rapidly 
rowed  back,  leaving  to  poor  Mr.  Winthrop, 
who  was  following,  the  comparatively  unin- 
teresting task  of  picking  up  the  floating  oars 
and  other  traps  which  had  been  cast  adrift 
in  the  upset,  and  of  towing  the  unlucky 
mariner  and  his  boat  back  to  the  island. 

As  all  the  boys  had  by  this  time  returned, 
half  a  dozen  hands  were  outstretched  to 
draw  the  skiff  ashore  and  help  out  the  pale 
but  laughing  Kate,  with  her  dripping  gar- 
ments clinging  about  her  feet.  Mrs.  Leslie 
took  possession  of  her  at  once,  and  she  and 
Mrs.  Sandford  hurried  her  up  to  the  house 
to  be  put  to  Ixxl  and  dosed  with  hot 
brandy  and  every  other  restorative  that  her 
ingenuity  could  devise,  while  Hugh  also 
came  in  for  a  large  share  of  her  anxiety,  as 
well  as  of  her  pharmacopeia. 

Meantime  poor  Dick  Morris  had  man- 
aged, with  Mr.  Winthrop's  assistance,  to 
get  his  water-logged  boat  back  to  shore, 
somewhat  crestfallen  as  well  as  wet,  under 
the  heavy  downpour  of  rain  which  followed 
the  squall.  Dick  came  in  for  his  share  of 
the  coddUug,  but  Mr.  Winthrop  became  m- 


l)'l 


I 


m 


gomx  the  'iVmv  to  the  ^ou  165 


as 


iore, 
lider 
)wed 


visible  for  an  lioiu  or  two,  and  it  was  only- 
after  all  were  gathered  lound  the  tea- 
table  that  he  reappeared,  kxjking  [)aler  and 
graver  than  they  had  ever  yet  seen  him. 
Kate  was,  of  course,  still  under  orders  to  re- 
main in  bed  for  the  rest  of  the  evening,  but 
Hugh  disclaimed  any  need  for  such  precau- 
tions, and  had  evidently  by  no  means  lost 
his  appetite,  at  least,  lie  greeted  Mr.  Win- 
throp  pleasantly,  as  usual,  saying  a[)oIoget- 
ically :  "  I  was  sorry  I  couldn't  wait  for 
you,  Winthrop,  but  I  saw  there  was  no 
time  to  be  lost." 

"  Oh,  it  was  of  no  consequence ;  you  were 
quite  right,"  he  replied  coolly,  but  very 
curtly,  and  May  inwardly  wondered  wliy  it 
was  that  people  always  said  things  were  *'  of 
no  consequence,"  just  when  they  evidently 
cared  most. 

The  incident  seemed  to  have  cast  a 
damper — figuratively  as  well  as  literally — 
over  the  last  evening  among  the  islands. 
The  squall  had  gone  down  as  rapidly  as  it 
had  come  up,  and  the  rain  cleared  off  by 
degrees ;  but  the  sunset  cast  oidy  a  few 
golden  gleams  through  the  parting  clouds, 
and  the   moonlight  was   fitful   and  disap- 


!!!, 


i'ili'i!"!! 


iM^W 


166        gown  the  %\m  U  the  ^m. 

pointing ;  and  it  seemed  to  INEay  that  the 
sadness  of  tlie  parting  colored  the  external 
scene  as  well  as  lier  own  feelings. 

It  had  been  arranged  that  the  steam 
launch  should  take  them  all  across  to  Clay- 
ton, to  catch  the  river  steamboat  there 
about  seven  a.  m.,  thus  necessitating  a  very 
early  start.  It  was  an  exquisite  August 
morning,  very  like  the  first  one  after  their 
arrival,  but  there  was  little  time  to  enjoy 
its  charming  pictures.  An  early  breakfast 
was  hurried  over  by  the  time  the  little 
yacht  blew  her  whistle  for  departure,  and, 
before  any  one  could  realize  that  the 
moment  for  departure  had  come,  the  travel- 
lers had  passed  through  an  avalanche  of 
good-byes,  and  were  steaming  swiftly  away 
from  the  enchanted  island,  as  May  then 
thought  it,  and  will  always  continue  to 
dream  of  it  hereafter. 

Kate  treated  Mr.  Winthrop  very  coolly 
during  the  sail  across,  as  May  observed,  and 
this  inconsistent  young  woman  began  forth- 
with to  feel  sorry  for  him,  specially  when 
he  announced,  with  apparent  indifference, 
that  he  should  have  to  say  good-bye  to 
them  all  at  Clayton,  as  he  feared,  from  the 


gowtt  the  'S^xvtv  t0  tlie  ^i?a.         167 


news  he  had  received  the  previous  day,  thiit 
he  should  not  l)e  able  to  rejoin  them  at 
Quebec,  as  he  had  ho[)ed  to  do.  May 
thought  that  Kate  looked  somewhat 
startled,  but  she  said  little,  and  they  parted 
with  cool  civility.  And  as  they  left  him 
behind,  with  a  sense  of  something  unsatis- 
factory about  it,  Mr.  Winthrop  seemed  to 
have  left  more  of  a  blank  in  the  little  party 
than  might  have  been  expected  from  his 
short  stay  among  them.  Hugh  missed  his 
clear-cut  criticism  and  incisive  talk.  May 
felt  as  if  she  ought  to  be  glad  that  this 
rival  of  Hugh's — as  she  regarded  him — 
was  out  of  the  way,  and  yet  she  was  con- 
scious of  a  feeling  of  regret  that  surprised 
herself.  For,  after  all,  undoubtedly  Mv. 
Winthrop  had  been  very  pleasant  and  cour- 
teous, and  it  certainly  was  not  his  fault  tliat 
he  had  not  had  the  honor  of  rescuing  Kate. 
And  now  they  were  fairly  embarked  on 
the  steamer,  which  turned  out  to  be  their 
old  friend,  the  Corsican^  and  were  soon 
rapidly  losing  sight  of  the  charming  "  Ad- 
miralty Group," — the  fairy-land  amid  which 
she  had,  for  the  past  ten  days,  enjoyed  so 
delightful  a  resting-place. 


I,:  1 


1G8        gown  the  |livcv  u  the  ^m. 


liii' 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE    RIVER   OP   IIOCHELAGA.. 

It  was  about  three  hours  before  the  Cor- 
sican  emerged  from  the  last  labyrinth  of 
foliage-clad,  pine-crested  islands,  and  cjime 
in  sight  of  the  little  town  of  Brock ville. 
The  banks  of  the  river,  as  they  approached, 
varying  from  a  high  table-land  to  a  low, 
rocky  shore,  were  lined  with  summer  cot- 
tages, where  holiday  makers  were  evidently 
enjoying  themselves  with  a  prodigality  of 
hunting  and  an  ample  supply  of  skiffs. 
Here  and  there,  they  came  upon  a  little  flo- 
tilla of  boats,  setting  out  for  an  all-day  ex- 
cursion, whose  passengers  waved  their  hats 
and  cheered,  as  if  they  had  been  the  first  In- 
dians who  beheld  the  white  man's  "  winged 
canoes."  A  ferry  boat  was  busily  plying 
up  and  down,  embarking  and  disembarking 
passengers  at  the  little  piers  that  fringed 
the  shore,  and  an  air  of  holiday  brightness 


§0m  the  giver  to  the  ^ea.         169 


inged 
Itness 


seemed  to  pervade  the  scene.  There  was  a 
short  stoppage  at  Brockville,  and  then  the 
Corsicciit  was  off  again,  and  the  hist  of  the 
"  Thousand  Islands  "  were  soon  left  far  be- 
hind. 

It  was  a  still,  soft,  dreamy  August  day, 
and  the  sail  down  the  calm,  broad  stretch 
succeeding  was  almost  sleepy  in  its  tranquil- 
lity. Prescott  and  its  neighboring  windmill 
elicited  some  historic  reminiscences  from 
Mrs.  Sandford  concerning  tlie  time  when 
poor  rash  Von  Schultz  held  his  extempo- 
rized fortress  against  an  unequal  force,  only 
to  be  overpowered  at  last,  and  to  expiate  his 
reckless  credulity  on  a  scaffold  at  Fort 
llemy,  which  they  had  so  recently  seen. 

Then  there  were  the  Galojys  Rapids,  and 
a  little  later  the  smiiU  TJapid  Du  Plat, 
and  then  the  historic  associations  of  Cln-ys- 
ler's  Farm.  Afterwards  the  steamer  began 
to  heave  and  plunge  as  the  snowy  crests  of 
the  great  white  coursers  of  tlie  Lo?ff/  ^Sunlt 
gleamed  before  them,  rising  like  ocean 
breakers  to  meet  the  gallant  vessel,  which 
plunged  in  upon  them  with  jilmost  con- 
scious pride,  and  rode  triumplianlly  over 
them  witli  an  exultant  swaying  movement, 


170        §mti  the  Oliver  U  the  #eH» 


iiPil: 


pii 


more  like  the  bounding  of  a  spirited  steed 
than  of  a  pL^ce  of  inanimate  matter.  Hugh 
was  (leUghted  beyond  expression,  and  so 
were  May  and  Flora.  It  was  even  grander 
than  either  had  anticipated,  and  both 
breathed  a  deep  sigh  of  regret  when  the 
last  buoyant  leap  was  over,  and  the  steamer 
floated,  with  her  ordinary  motion,  into  the 
calm  expanse  in  front  of  the  town  of  Corn- 
wall. And  now  there  were  blue  hills  to  be 
seen  on  the  horizon  to  their  right,  as  they 
passed  down  the  quiet  sweep  of  river,  with 
a  few  green  islands  dotting  the  channel,  on 
which  they  could  catch,  here  and  there, 
glimpses  of  summer  cottages  and  camping 
parties  that  reminded  them  of  the  "  Thou- 
sand Islands,"  though  with  a  considerable 
difference,  for  here  was  nothing  like  the 
same  scope  for  boating  or  variety  of  scenery 
as  in  that  enchanted  region.  Then  there 
was  the  long,  sleepy  afternoon  sail  across 
the  wide  Lake  St.  Francis,  during  which 
Mrs.  Sandford  retired  to  her  stateroom  to 
make  up  for  her  lost  morning  slumber,  and 
the  three  girls  drowsed  over  the  books  they 
were  professing  to  read.  May  had  brought 
out  her  cherished  copy  of  "  The  Chance  Ac- 


§m\x  the  %xva  to  the  ^eu.         171 

quaintance,"  which  she  had  with  her,  hut  had 
kept  ill  reserve  till  now,  that  she  ini^ht  re- 
vive her  recollections  of  its  fascinatin*;-  i)ict- 
ures,  and  enjoy  in  advance  the  giey  old 
city,  which  she  had  already  seen  so  often 
in  imaj^ination ;  and  was  now,  at  length,  to 
behold  with  her  bodily  eyes.  As  she 
dropped  the  book  at  last,  overcome  by  the 
sleepy  influence  of  the  afteri^oon,  Hugh 
took  it  up,  and  had  become  much  interested 
in  its  fascinating  pages,  when  the  whistle  of 
the  steamer,  on  arriving  at  Coteau  Du  Lac, 
startled  the  girls  out  of  their  nap,  and 
woke  them  up,  laughing  over  the  oblivion 
which  had  swallowed  up  the  last  two  hours. 
The  little  French  village  of  "  The  Coteau," 
with  its  long  pier,  and  the  little  brown 
houses  and  big  church,  gave  the  travellers  a 
first  glimpse  hito  French  Canada,  quite  in 
keeping  with  the  spirit  of  the  little  book ; 
and  the  succeeding  scenery,  growing  every 
moment  more  picturesque,  was  to  May 
idealized  with  a  touch  of  poetry  reflected 
from  Mr.  Tlowells'  charming  little  romance. 
After  leaving  the  Coteau  village,  they 
passed  the  short  Coteau  Rapids,  and  then 
the  drowsy  old  village  of  Beauharnois,  with 


172         Jowtt  the  Jlivct  ta  the  ^ti\. 


liiii:!:!' 


a  pastoral  laiulsca[)o  of  jjfici(3n  niilands  and 
bowery  orchards  behind  it, — alter  whieh 
tiiey  saw  luifore  tlieni,  bencsath  a  riehly 
wooded  shore,  a  f^litteriufr  streteli  of  inter- 
woven blu(;  and  silver.  And  soon  tlie 
steamer  beg'an  to  pitcli  lierself  forward,  as 
she  was  swiftly  hurried  down  the  rapid  in- 
cline, i)ast  cedar-covcned  points  and  islets, — 
so  swiftly  that  it  seemed  as  if  they  could 
scarcely  take  in  the  striking  beauty  of  the 
scene  till  it  had  been  left  behind  and  the 
rapid  was  past.  And  thus  in  (piick  suc- 
cession they  passed  "  The  Cascades  "  witii 
its  white  breakers  glitterhif?  in  the  stui,  ;uid 
the  "  Split  Uock "  with  its  great  black 
jagged  boulders,  past  which  tlu^y  flew  like  a 
flash  ;  after  which,  as  the  afternoon  sunshine 
began  to  slant  softly  on  the  water,  they 
glided  out  on  the  great  placid  I'eacli  of  Lake 
St.  Louis.  The  distant  blue  range  of  thi; 
Adirondacks  had  remained  on  their  right 
for  a  considerable  portion  of  their  way,  but 
now,  before  them,  rose  the  soft,  cloud-like 
vision, — apparently  triple  in  its  conforma- 
tion, which  Kate  announced  was  Cartier's 
"Mont  Royal,"  at  the  feet  of  which  lay  the 
city  of  Montreal.    It  held  their  eyes  with  a 


gawtt  the  Jllvcr  to  the  ^ca.         173 


livid 

•lily 

ilcr- 

the 

I,  us 

I  in- 

ts,- 

!OUl<l 

i  the 
I  the 

S\K5- 

wilh 

h  '^^^^^ 
ibliick 

llikc  a 

sbiiH^ 

Uu\Y 
){  tlu' 


spoil  of  fiisciniition  as  they  crossed  the  lake, 
^rowin^  more  and  more  distinct  until  they 
coidd  distinguish  its  various  divisions  and 
tiie  masses  of  woodland  that  clothed  it,  and 
even  tiie  larfj;;e  huihlinj^s  which  here  and 
tiiere  p^leamed  out  from  its  darker  mass. 
And  now  tiiey  were  passin**;  tlie  Indian  vil- 
liiu^e  of  Caughnawaj^a,  with  its  long  line  of 
nule  French-looiving"  houses  fringing  the 
sliore,  while  on  their  left  lay  Lachine,  with 
tlie  glorious  green  mountain — a  mass  of  ver- 
dure from  top  to  ])ott()m,  rising  behind  the 
straggling  white  village,  flanked  by  its 
grey  stone  church  and  J*reshi/tcre^  while  the 
western  sun  shed  a  liood  of  golden  glory 
over  the  shining  lake.  Then  camo  the  de- 
scent of  the  Lachine  llapids,  the  most  ex- 
citing of  all,  and  the  three  travellers  who 
saw  it  for  the  first  time,  held  their  l)reath  as 
the  steamer  rushed  on,  within  a  hair-breadth, 
as  it  seemed,  of  striking  the  jagged  locks 
that  raised  their  rough  black  heads  iil)ove 
tlie  white  breakers.  There  was  not  the  mass 
and  the  thunder  of  water  of  the  Long  Sault, 
nor  the  silvery  beauty  and  rush  of  the  Ce- 
(l;irs  and  Cascades,  but  the  black  rocks  and 
ledges  that  seemed  lying  in  wait,  like  black 


i 


174         JIawtt  the  J{ivct  to  the  ^ea. 

monsters,  to  crush  the  vessel  ])etween  their 
cruel  teeth,  recalled  to  Hugh  the  old  fal)lo 
of  Scylla  and  Chary  1x1  is.  It  was  grandly  ex- 
citing to  see  the  steamer,  like  a  living  thing, 
dart  shuddering  hy  them,  and  rush  at  head- 
long speed  through  thehoiling  surges,  witii 
the  long  wooded  stretch  of  Nun's  Island 
nestling,  as  it  seemed,  amid  the  tossing 
waves,  while  the  long  spans  of  the  Lachine 
and  Victoria  bridges  loomed  up  in  front  of 
them,  and  the  bold  mountain  summits  of 
Belceil  and  Boucherville  arjsumed  exqui- 
site violet  hues  under  the  magic  touch  of 
the  rapidly  setting  sun,  which  also  lighted 
up  the  massive  city  before  them.  There  was 
hardly  time  to  take  in  the  full  beauty  of  tlie 
coup  iVaeil  before  the  steamer  was  under 
Victoria  Bridge,  the  height  of  which  they 
could  not  realize  till  they  saw  that  the  tall 
masts  could  pass  under  it  without  being 
lowered.  Presently  they  were  in  the  Canal 
Basin,  amid  what  seemed  a  forest  of 
masts  and  shipping,  and  May,  to  her  de- 
light, could  distinguish  the  great  black  hulls 
of  some  ocean  steamers  lying  in  port.  The 
long  lines  of  massive  grey  store-houses  and 
docks  also  much  impressed    her  unaccus- 


g0urn  the  Oliver  io  the  ijlea.         175 


il)le 
ex- 

CiUl- 

willi 
,liuul 

ahine 

lit  of 

its  of 

3X(iui- 

,ch  of 

o-htcd 

ro  wiis 
of  the 
uiuler 
they 
le  tiill 

beins 
Canal 

est    of 
ler  tle- 
k  bulls 
The 
ies  and 
laccus- 


toined  eye ;  but  these  were  soon  left  behind 
as  tliey  drove  rapidly  up  to  the  Windsor 
Hotel,  where  they  were  to  spend  the  next 
day.  They  were  all  hungry  enough,  after 
their  long  afternoon  in  the  open  air,  to  en- 
joy heartily  the  late  dinner  in  the  spacious 
dining-room  of  the  Windsor,  witli  its  glit- 
tering lights,  its  long  rows  of  tables  and 
lively  groups  of  guests.  After  dinner,  the 
girls  wandered  through  the  long  corridors 
and  sumptuous  drawing-rooms,  till  May,  at 
least,  who  had  never  been  in  so  large  a  hotel 
hi  her  life,  was  quite  bewildered  by  all  the 
grandeur.  Then  they  sat  on  a  balcony  look- 
ing out  on  the  long  twinkling  ranks  of 
electric  lights,  contrasting  with  the  silvery 
radiance  of  the  moonlight,  while  Kate  de- 
scribed to  them  vividly  the  glories  of  a  win- 
ter carnival  she  had  seen,  and  the  pure 
white,  translucent  beauty  of  the  wondrous 
Ice  Palace  which  had  silently  risen  in  the 
Square  before  them,  and  had  afterwards,  as 
it  seemed,  dissolved  like  a  dreiim,  under 
the  gentle  touch  of  approaching  spring. 

Next  morning  they  were  all  assembled  at 
breakfast  so  early  that  they  had  the  dining- 
hall  pretty  much  to  themselves.    A  carriage 


•«, 


1^ 


176         Doa'tt  the  %Xivct  tc  the  jifju 


bad  l)een  ordered  for  nine  o'clock,  as  they 
did  n(  L  wish  to  lose  any  of  the  bright  niorn- 
ing',  and  they  drove  for  some  hours — first, 
through  tlie  old-fashioned  French  streets, 
past  Notre  Dame  and  the  old  diray  Nun- 
nery and  the  J>onsecours  market,  and  the 
point  where  the  first  settlement  of  Ville 
Marie  was  inaugurated,  as  Parkman  has  so 
gr«i])hically  dereribed  it.  They  looked  at 
the  old  IJonseeours  church,  which  recalled 
to  Hugh  and  Flora  similar  (tld  churches  in 
Normandy,  then  drove  up  St.  Denis  street, 
past  our  Lady  of  Lourdes  and  the  other 
ecclesiastical  buildings  wiru;h  cluster 
around  it,  and  linished  their  morning  with 
a  glimpse  at  the  pretty  Art  (Jjillery. 

After  luncheon  they  again  set  off',  and  drove 
along  Sherbrooke  Street  and  through  INIc- 
Gill  College  gi'ounds,  inspecting  its  groups  of 
fine  buildings  and  through  the  bosky  avenues 
that  run  upward  to  "the  mountain,"  and 
then  up  to  "the  mountain"  itself,  enjoying  the 
magnificent  views,  from  the  Mountain  i*ark 
drive,  of  plain  and  river  and  distant  hills, 
quite  as  much  as  did  Champlain,  who  could 
not  see,  even  in  a  vision,  the  stately  city 
that  now  leplacea  the  Indiau  wigwams  and 


JS^- 


I!au*»  the  Viiicv  to  the  '^cu. 


177 


■sl, 
its, 
iin- 
ibc 
ille 
s  so 
:l  lit 
illed 
liS  in 
veet, 
;)tUer 
uster 
with 


nmize-lields,  which  then  l)oru  tlie  luune  of 
Ilocheluga.  They  asceiideil  to  the  very 
brow  of  the  noble  hill,  tiikiii<;'  in,  us  they 
went,  the  wliole  sweep  of  view,  from  the 
winding  course  towards  (Quebec  on  the  left, 
to  the  extreme  right,  where  Miey  could,  catch 
a  glimpse  of  the  Lachine  Kapids,  flashing 
white  hi  the  sunshine. 

The  day  passed  only  too  swiftly  in  this 
])lcasant  sight-seeing,  and  they  had  to  be  [it 
their  hotel  for  a  six  o'clock  dinner,  in  order 
to  be  ready  to  leave  for  (Quebec  at  seven. 
When  at  last  they  drove  olf,  Kate  gave  the 
order,  "  to  the  Quebec  boat!''  May  heaved  a 
deep  sigh  of  pleasure.  It  seemed  as  if  her 
cup  was  now  indeed  full. 

They  f*)und  tli-i  large  double-decked 
steamer  filling  up  r.ipidly  with  parties  of 
tourists,  some  of  them  evidently — from  tlicir 
])ilcs  of  luggage —  CM  route  for  MuiTJiy  I  Jay, 
or  Metis,  or  some  other  watering-pla;'e  on 
the  Gulf.  (Quebec  was  to  them  an  every- 
day affair,  and  they  talked  of  it  in  a  careless 
and  cursory  fa.^hioii  which  to  May,  with  her 
enthusiastic  veneration  for  its  associations, 
seemed  little  less  than  sacrilege. 

As  they  passec'  down  the  smooth  winding 
12 


178  Joivu  the  ^livcv  U  the  <*a. 


river,  while  the  tvvili.^lit  was  falling,  sil- 
ver.d  by  the  brightening  moon,  Flora  be- 
gan to  talk  of  Mr.  Winthrop,  and  to  express 
her  regret  at  his  inability  to  come  on  with 
them.  "  It  was  too  bad,"  she  added,  "  that 
Ilngh  forestalled  him,  in  going  to  Kate's 
rescue,  was  it  not  ?  I'm  afraid  lie  will  hardly 
forgive  Hugh  in  a  hurry." 

"  But  Hugh  couldn't  have  waited  for 
him,"  said  jMny. 

"  What  are  you  two  talking  about  ? " 
asked  Kate,  whose  ear  had  been  caught  by 
the  woi'iis,  while  talking  to  her  aunt  and 
Hugh. 

"  Oh,  M^e  were  only  talking  about  poor 
Mr.  Winthrop,"  replied  Flora,  "and  his 
vexation  with  Hugh  for  getting  before  him 
in  rescuing  you." 

"Why  should  he  have  let  Hugh  get  be- 
fore him,  then  ?  "  she  asked. 

Hugh  looked  up  with  a  half-puzzled  air; 
then  it  seemed  as  if  something  liad  dawned 
upon  him — previously  unthought  of — and, 
in  a  few  exi)licit  words,  he  explained  the 
whole  situation,  doing  '^mple  justice  to  Mr. 
Winthrop.  Kate  listened  attentively,  and 
though  i;he  was  very  quiet  all  the  rest  of 


§0uni  the  ^iicv  to  the  %ea.         179 


sU- 
be- 

vvitli 
that 
date's 
ardly 

d  lor 

out  ?  " 
rlit  by 
Lit  and 


it  poor 
lid  bi^ 
>re  bim 


the  eveniiiG^,  May  fancied  that  her  face  was 
cleared  of  a  shadow  th.at  had  eh)iide(l  it  be- 
fore. Slie  toolc  up  Mi  y's  "  Chance  Ac- 
(piaintance"  and  soon  btcanie  absorl)ed  in 
it, — not  hiying  it  down  till  she  had  rushed 
through  it  to  the  hist  page. 

"  Wasn't  it  too  bad,"  said  Flora,  "  that 
Kittv  sent  ctf  Mr.  Arbuton  hke  tliat  ?  " 

"/ think  it  was  too  bad  that  Mr.  Arbu- 
ton didn't  come  hach\^''  retorted  Kate.  "  If 
L-  •  .  7  had  done  that^  a  few  days  after, 
K'l  would  have  forgiven  him  and  he 
could  have  made  a  fresh  st.trt." 

"  I  feel  sure  that  he  did,  in  the  end,"  as- 
serted May,  dogmatically.  "  1  mean  to 
write  a  sequel  to  it  some  day  ! "  and  then 
they  all  went  off  to  their  bei'tiis. 

The  three  girls  were  up  almost  by  day- 
light in  the  morning,  watching  the  bright- 
ening sunshine  flush  the  red  rock  of  Cap 
I'ouge,  and  then  the  gradual  unfolding  of 
tne  river  panoramas  as  they  i)assed  head- 
land after  headland,  each  opening  a  fair, 
new  vista  beyond.  Soon  a  glittering 
church  steeple  gleamed  out  fiom  the  south- 
ern shore,  rising  protectingly  over  white 
villages  nestling  at  their  feet.    Curving  re- 


IHO 


Doivn  tUf  i{iiH*v  to  the  *ca. 


ci'ssos  of  the  woodt'd  ])iink,  outrmcd  by  oiui 
loiijjf,  |)i('tun\s(|ne  l^'rcncli  villii.!4t'  slrccl,  fol- 
lowed the  bend  of  (he  shon;  to  the  left. 
^'Tliut  is  Sillcry,"  said  Kiite,  in  reply  to 
i\I;iy's  ea^er  eiuiuiries. 

'*()h,"  sjiid  May,  "that  is  the  piuHi 
where  tlu^  t)ld  Jesuit  residence  was, — that 
Kitty  and  INlr.  Arbuton  went  to  see." 

After  the  i)oint  e*  Sillery  was  rounded, 
thi're  rose,  at  last,  before  (heir  deli'^lited 
eyes,  the  historic  grey  rock  of  (Juebee,  with 
its  nuiral-erowned  "auipai't  and  bastions, 
and  the  houses  and  convents  and  j^reat 
ehuri'hes  of  the  old  city  i'liinbin<;-  \i\)  its 
sides  or  raniblin;^-  aloii>;'  the  plateau  at  its 
foot. 

"Oh,  that  is  thc^  citadel!"  exelainuMl 
May,  bnvit bless  with  (h'lii;-ht. 

"And  that  is  DulVeiin  Terrace,  with  the 
strai^'ht  line  of  railing'  and  the  little  pavil- 
ions," explained  Kate,  while  the  grim  old 
grey  houses  above  them  recalled  to  Hugh 
and  Flora  memories  of  the  old  French 
towns  they  had  seeii  abroad.  As  soori  as 
they  could  disengage  themselves  from  the 
bustle  and  confusion  of  ihe  crowded  quay, 
Kate,  who  had  declared  that  a  caldche  was 


^omx  the  Viiicv  to  the  ^la. 


isi 


fol- 

y  ^^> 

-ihiit 

ii\>   its 
ill  its 

liiiuuHl 

111  the 
pavil- 

\\\\\^\^ 
French 

o«)T'i  a*' 
\m\  the 
(1  quay, 
he  was 


was  iis  iiiucli  "lh(;  Ihiiij^"  in  (2n(!boc  Jis  a 
^•(tndola  ill  Veiiiec,  Ki;.;n!ill(Ml  lo  two  (uilh'hc 
drivers,  and  the  junior  nieniluMS  of  tlie 
parly  woi'e  soon  iKM'eiuMi  on  their  hi^li  seats, 
whih;  Mrs.  Saiidt'ord  ;iiid  the  iii<;-^-i !;;•<;  wiMit 
ii|)  more  eoint'ortahly  in  ;i  eoninionijhice 
(';ih.  As  (hey  raltie(l  ov(!r  tiie  rou^h  [lave- 
lueiils  and  tiiroii.!j,'h  the  tortuous  narrow 
streets,  whieiiiis  Kate  rtMuarivcrd  to  I^Mora 
— ''an;  just  hki;  Kuro|)(\  Tin  sure,"  tluiy 
drove  up  Mountain  I lill,  jjassini;'  thi;  spot 
where  Trescott  i\\viv.  us(;d  to  he  of  old,  jind 
eatehiiiL;'  a  j^limpse  of  tiu;  IJasiliea,  or  eath- 
edrid,  oi  rovt.e.  Tiu^y  (datten^d  rapidly  ov(!r 
the  liard  paved  stnu^ts  of  tlie  ui)[)er  town, 
and  drove,  to  May's  (leli;;'ht,  throu^-h  a  mas- 
sive old  ji";ite  with  deep,  r<)un(l  a  relies, 
whieh  the  sniiiin^-  driver  jinnouneed  as 
"Porte  St.  Jean."  Just  outsith'  it  tliey 
])asse(l  a  little  Fnnieh  mark(!t,-i)la('e,  and 
then,  after  passinu:,'  oik;  or  two  crowded 
striv'ts,  they  w^eri*  fmally  set  down  in  fi'ont 
of  a,  tall,  three-story  stone  house  with  a  red 
door. 

The  travelers  wer- .,  of  eonrse,  ex])ectod, 
and  reeeiviMl  \\ith  k.rid  eourtesv  hy  tlu'ir 
IiosIl'ss,  Mrs.  Dale,  w  h  )  took  them  at  once 


182         §0m\  the  JUvcr  io  the  ^ea. 


o- 


up  two  flights  of  stairs.  "  If  they  are  high, 
they  have  the  Letter  view,"  she  said, 
smiling.  And  so  tliey  had.  The  girls 
broke  out  into  exclaniations  of  delight,  as 
they  gazed  from  the  old-fashioned  open 
windows.  In  front  they  looked  across 
streets  and  houses  to  the  ylacls  of  the  Cita- 
del, crowned  by  its  line  of  ramparts,  and 
could  follow,  for  some  distance,  the  city 
wall  witliout.  The  back  window  com- 
manded a  glorious  picture.  Across  a 
dusky  mass  of  brown,  steep-roofed  houses, 
only  half  lighted  up  yet  by  the  morning 
sun,  they  looked  out  on  a  green,  undulating 
champaign  country,  flecked  with  patches 
of  deep  green  woodland,  and  little  while 
villages  clustering  liere  and  there  round 
their  geat  church  spires;  while,  for  back- 
ground, rose  a  grand  range  of  Iiilh,  stretch- 
ing far  away  in  interminabk*  blue  vista — all 
grey  and  violet  in  shadow  and  silvery  blue 
in  the  sunlight,  as  the  morning  mists 
drifted  away,  Jind  a  wandeiing  sunbeam 
caught  and  glorified  a  tiny  white  hamlet 
nestling  in  the  folds  of  a  wooded  hill.  Just 
where  the  sunbeams  straggled  aw.iy  into 
the  green  country  a  silver  stream  wound 


§omx  the  yvircr  fa  the  <#eiu  18;i 


glittering  in  the  snn,  niiiking  a  bright  loop 
round  a  point,  on  which,  amid  some  trees, 
stood  a  large  stone  huilding. 

"That  is  the  St.  Chiirles,  you  know,"  ex- 
plained Kate,  "and  there,  where  you  see  it 
twisted  like  a  silvei"  loop,  is  tlie  place 
where  stood  the  lirst  mission  house  of  the 
KecoUets,  and  the  Jesuits  afterwards." 

"  Oh  !  "  said  ]\I;iy  quickly,  «  I  know!  Notre 
Dame  des  Anges,  was  it  not  ?  So  that  was 
the  place  where  they  had  their  thatched  log 
cabin  and  where  they  used  to  be  half  frozen 
in  winter,  when  they  were  trying  to  learn 
the  Indian  language  from  their  interpreter, 
while  their  biggest  w'ood  fires  could  not  keep 
them  warm,  or  their  ink  from  freezing!  " 

"And,  just  a  little  farther  down  is  the 
[)lace  where  they  suppose  Jacques  Cartier 
laid  up  his  ships,  when  he  first  came ;  as  you 
were  reading  to  us  the  other  day,  Hugh." 

"  Ah,  and  so  that  is  the  i)lace  where  they 
went  through  so  much  suffering,  that  terri- 
ble winter,  when  the  ships  and  masts  and 
rigging  were  all  cased  in  ice,  like  ghostly 
ships  at  the  North  Pole,  and  wlicn  the  cold 
and  the  scurvy  were  killing  them  off  so  fast, 
that  it  seemed  as  if  none  of  tliem  would  be 


184         Jou'u  the  $xvcv  to  the  ^cu» 


1  <  ■' 


Mm 


1 1 
J I 


left  to  see  the  spring.  How  they  must  have 
welcomed  its  coming  at  last!  " 

Then  Kate  pointed  out  the  green,  low- 
lying-  meadow  beyond  the  St.  Charles, 
called  La  Canardfh'e,  because  wild  ducks 
used  there  to  abonnd,  and  their  eyes  fol- 
lowed the  long  white  line  of  the  village 
of  Beauport,  running  between  the  grand 
Laurentian  hills  and  the  green  slopes  that 
edged  tlie  blue  St.  Lawrence,  studded 
with  white  sails,  and  winding  away  between 
the  Island  of  Orleans  and  the  northern 
sliore ;  while,  far  down  the  high  river  bank, 
they  could  just  distinguish  the  dark  purple 
cleft  of  the  Montmorenci  Falls.  But  they 
were  presently  reminded  that  breakfast  v\^as 
waiting,  and,  after  their  early  start  tliey 
were  quite  ready  thoroughly  to  enjoy  the 
fresh  rolls  and  sggs  and  delicious  raspber- 
ries and  cream,  while  they  planned  their 
day's  sight-se  niig,  so  as  to  accomplish  the 
utmost  that  could  be  done  m  the  hours  be- 
fore them. 

They  determined  first  of  all  to  scale  the 
Citadel,  taking  Dufferhi  Terrace  on  their 
way.  Tliey  went  round  by  the  new  Parlia- 
ment buildings,  entering  the  city  by  the  St. 


5oun  the  iliicr  ta  the  ^ca.         185 


the 

liivliiv- 

iio  SI. 


Louis  gate,  with  its  new  Xorinan  towers  and 
enibnisiircs.  Kate,  to  wlioiu  the  phice  was 
familiar  of  old,  g'rew  indi.^naiit  over  the  rav- 
a<^es  made  in  tiio  solid  old  fortiticatioiis  just 
outside  the  walls,  and  thought  the  tine  new 
Parliament  l)uildin|[;\s  did  not  by  any  means 
make  up  for  it.  "Oi  could  see  new  build- 
in<]^s  any  day,  l)ut  that  wasn't  what  one  came 
to(2'^^'bee  for,"  siie  remarked.  They  passed 
by  the  Es[)lana(le  and  the  winding  ascent  to 
the  Citadel,  and  the  sedate  old-fashioned 
houses  of  St.  Louis  Street,  and  the  little 
steep-roofed  wooden  cottage  near  the  hotel, 
now  a  saloon,  where  once  lay  the  body  of 
the  brave  Montcalm.  l?resently  they  came 
to  the  "  Ring,"  as  the  old  Phwe  iV  Arme^  is 
often  called — the  scene,  as  May  reminded 
them,  of  so  many  interesting  events  in  the 
old  French  reijlme. 

"For  there,  you  know,"  she  said,  "the 
gate  of  the  old  Chateau  St.  Louis  frontiMl  the 
square,  and  here  there  used  to  be  state  re- 
ceptions of  the  Indians,  when  treaties  were 
concluded ;  and  here,  too,  they  let  the  poor 
Ilurons  build  a  fort  when  they  had  been  al- 
most exterminated  by  the  Ircxpiois." 

Hugh  was  nmch  interested,  as  they  passed 


180         Down  the  'ilivcv  U  the  ^'f». 


Hi 


on,  in  the  siglit  of  the  old  C'hiiteau  near  the 
shady  walks  of  the  (lOvenior'.sCJardens,  and 
in  the  nionnnient  erected  to  the  joint  mem- 
ory of  the  two  brave;  heroes,Wolfe  and  jVIont- 
cahn.  ^Vnd  then  they  came  out  on  the  lon<^ 
promenade,  now  known  as  Duft'erin  Ter- 
race, and  st()p])ed  to  take  in  the  magniticent 
panorama,  the  wide  river,  with  the  pictur- 
esque heights  of  Levis  innnediately  oppo- 
site, and  the  crowdcKl  shipping  below;  and 
then,  innnediately  bcmeath  them,  they  looked 
down  into  the  depths  of  the  Lower  Town  at 
their  feet,  in  which  IMay  was  eager  to  dis- 
cover the  site  of  the  old  "  Abitatiot "  of 
Champlahi. 

"I  think  it  was  just  about  where  the 
Champlain  Market  is  now,"  Kate  replied — 
"  that  open  space  with  all  the  market-carts  of 
the  habltans^  and  all  the  people  doing  their 
marketing." 

Then  they  gazed  down  into  the  narrow 
alleys  of  Little  Champlain  Street,  with  the 
tall,  grimy  houses  that  rose  up  just  below 
them,  which,  as  Flora  said,  reminded  her  so 
much  of  some  of  the  old  "  wynds  "  of  Edin- 
burgh ;  and  were  shown  the  little  old  church, 
"  Notre  Dame,  des  Yictoires^''''  which  played 


Ilouu  the  IVucv  to  the  ^ca.         187 


he 
,nd 

!1U- 
lllt- 

Dn<5 
L'er- 
3eut 
Uir- 
ppo- 
ixiul 
oked 
vn  at 
(  dis- 
^"  of 

the 
lied— 
I'ts  oi 
their 

trrow 
:h  the 
below 
her  so 

Edin- 
liurch, 

>layed 


so  iniportiuib  a  part  in  the  early  history  of 
(2uel)(3C.  3[ay  could  have  remained  all  day 
(Ircainiii!:^  over  these  old  historic  associa- 
tions, nor  did  llu,t;h  Macnah  seem  much  in- 
clined to  tear  himself  away  from  the  fasci- 
natinjjf  scene.  Ihit  Kate  was  determined  to 
keep  them  up  to  "schedule  time,"  and  she 
and  her  watch  were  relentless,  so  tliey  re- 
luctantly tore  themselves  away,  being  prom- 
ised a  still  liner  view  from  al)ov(;,  and 
mounted  a  long  steep  stair  rising-  from  the 
end  of  the  Terrace.  They  could  not  resist 
the  temptation  of  looking  iiround  from  time 
to  time  as  the  view  widened  at  every  step,  till 
at  last,  drawing  a  deep  breath,  they  stood 
at  the  top  of  the  (jhicls  and  gazed  at  the 
superb  view  arotmd  them,  the  closely  l)uilt 
Lower  Town,  the  forest  of  shipping,  the 
steamboats  darting  to  and  fro,  the  opposite 
heights,  fringed  with  steep-roofed,  balconied 
houses  and  sprinkled  with  distant  white  vil- 
lages creeping  up  their  receding  sides,  and 
large,  stately  convents  peeping  out  of  clus- 
tered and  embosoming  trees  ;  while  just  be- 
neath their  feet  a  black  ocean  steamer  was 
getting  up  her  steam  to  sail  away  down  the 
great  river  to  the  sea. 


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23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  NY.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


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'1? 


^ 


1 88         Dauu  the  ^mv  to  tUe  J^ea. 

Walking  back  along  the  (/lacis,  they 
rciiched  the  winding  ascent  to  the  Citadel, 
wliicli  they  followed,  between  its  high  stone- 
faced  banks,  till  they  reached  the  ancient, 
curiously-woven  chain  gates,  said  to  be  ini- 
pr(\gnable,  and  leading  into  the  wide  green 
ditch.  Then  they  passed  through  the  mas- 
sive portals  of  Dalhousie  Gate,with  its  guard- 
rooms and  casemates  built  into  the  solid 
walls  on  either  side,  where  the  warlike-look- 
ing sentries  politely  saluted  the  ladies  and 
put  them  under  the  charge  of  a  soldier 
guide.  lie  led  them  lirst  across  tiie  wide 
court-yard  to  tlui  King's  l^astion  by  the  tlMg- 
staff,  from  wlience  thev  could  feast  tlieir 
eyes  on  such  a  view  as  May,  at  least,  had 
never  seen  before.  All  about  them  Iny  tlie 
city,  mapped  out  with  its  walls  and  ram- 
parts, its  church  towers  and  steeples  ;  at 
their  feet,  far  below  them,  the  Terrace  on 
which  they  had  been  recently  standing,  and 
Ixilow  that  again,  the  grim  okl  town,  the 
docks  and  shipping  and  flitting  boats  dimin- 
ished to  the  size  of  playthings ;  then  the 
green  heights  opposite,  and  the  bold  blue 
outline  of  the  Isle  of  Orleans,  and  the  calm 
broad  river  stealing  silently  away  through 


§a«Jtt  the  ^ivcr  ta  the  ;^a.         189 


the  vista  of  distant  hills.  It  seemed  like  a 
dream  that  held  them  in  its  spell,  till  the 
French  soldier,  to  whom  the  view  was  an 
every-day  affair,  shrugged  his  shoulders  and 
said,  "  allonsy 

They  continued  their  walk  past  the  Officers' 
(Quarters,  in  one  of  which  was  the  Governor 
General's  summer  residence ; — past  the  mag- 
azine and  stables,  where  many  little  dogs 
were  playing  about,  and  came  out  at  last  on 
what  they  thought  the  most  glorious  view 
cf  all, — that  from  the  Prince's  Bastion,  so 
called,  because  a  Prince's  feather,  carved  in 
stone  on  the  wall,  marks  the  spot  where 
the  Prince  of  Wales  once  laid  his  hand  when 
visiting  Quebec.  From  it  they  could  see, 
far  away  to  the  south,  rank  after  rank  of 
distant  blue  hills,  some  of  them  in  Maine 
and  Vermont.  To  westward  they  could  fol- 
low the  river  till  it  was  hidden  behind  a 
green  projecting  point  which  shut  in  the 
Bay  of  Sillery,  while  away  to  the  west 
and  north  stretched  a  long  succession  of 
blue  hills,  with  white  villages  gleaming 
among  their  wooded  sides,  amidst  which, 
too,  they  could  trace  the  silvery  ril)bon  of 
the  St.  Charles,  winding  its  way  down  cut 


190         gowtt  the  '^xvcx  io  the  ^cji. 


of  the  shadowy  recesses  of  the  distant  moun- 
tains. 

The  travellers  found  no  words  adequate  to 
express  the  delight  awakened  by  the  glori- 
ous picture,  and  gazed  on  in  silence,  while 
light  mists  floated  away  from  the  summits  of 
the  hills,  and  sudden  glints  of  sunshine 
gave  them  an  added  touch  of  glorious 
beauty. 

But  they  could  not  stay  there  all  day,  and 
all  too  soon  they  turned  away  from  the 
beautiful  picture,  which  they  would  often 
hereafter  see  before  the  inner  eye ;  and  re- 
turned along  the  walls,  past  little  piles  of 
cannon  balls  and  gun-mounted  embrasures, 
till  they  came  down  again  into  the  court- 
yard and  the  wide,  green  ditch,  on  the  slope 
of  which  sleek  cows  were  peacefully  graz- 
ing, close  to  the  now  harmless  guns. 

Whither  should  they  go  next?  They 
would  just  have  time,  Kate  said,  to  take  in 
the  Basilica  and  the  Ursuline  convent  be- 
fore luncheon.  Thither,  accordingly,  they 
went,  meeting  long-robed  ecclesiastics  and 
bright-eyed  academy  boys  in  their  trim  gray 
uniforms ; — pretty  French  luirse-maids  and 
British  orderlies,  hurrying  along  laden  with 


gaa'u  the  Oliver  io  the  ^tn.         101 


:az- 


rith. 


packaijjes  of  officiiil  papers,  all  just  as  it  had 
been  described  in  "  A  Chance  Acquaintance." 
The  Basilica,  or  g'reat  French  Cathedral, 
they  found  rather  disa^jpointing  within,  for 
the  impression  of  niassiveness  made  by  the 
exterior,  seemed  incongruous  with  the  gaudy 
white  and  gold  of  the  interior  decorations. 

*'It  seems  rather  out  of  keeping,"  said 
Hugh,  a  little  discontentedly,  "with  what 
one  reads  of  its  history,  in  those  stormy  old 
times,  when  the  French  colonists  used  to 
come  here  to  pray  for  deliverance  from  Iro- 
quois raids,  or  to  offer  up  thanksgiving  for 
some  timely  succor." 

"  But  you  know,  it  has  been  rebuilt  more 
than  once  since  those  old  times,"  said  Kate  ; 
and  May  tried  to  recall  in  imagination  the 
great  bare-raftered  building  of  those  old 
days,  and  found  much  satisfaction  in  the 
high  porcelain  stoves  at  the  entrance,  which 
gave  a  "  foreign  look "  to  the  buildmg  at 
once. 

To  the  Ursuline  chapel  tliey  went  next, 
and,  after  application  made  at  a  grated  win- 
dow of  the  convent,  a  tranquil-faced  nun 
opened  the  great  door,  and  they  passed  into 
the  quiet  little  chapel,  so  dainty  in  all  its 


i 


192         Jawtt  the  ^vivcr  to  the  jjica. 

.arrangements,  and  looked  at  the  great  pic- 
ture, by  Chaniplain,  of  Christ  at  the  house 
of  Simon,  the  Pharisee, — at  the  tablet  to  the 
memory  of  Montcalm,  whose  skull  is  still 
preserved  there ; — and  then,  with  still  more 
interest  at  the  tiny  jet  of  flame  in  the  glass 
chandelier,  kept  alight,  for  a  hundred  and 
iifty  years,  in  memory  of  a  young  French 
girl  who  took  the  veil  all  tl  ose  years  ago, 
and  whose  brothers  made  provision  to  pre- 
serve in  perpetuity  tiiis  touching  tribute  to 
her  memory.  But  the  rosy-faced,  contented 
looking  sceur,  who  acted  as  guide,  would  by 
no  means  let  them  pass  out  witlioat  s[)ecial 
attention  to  the  elaborate  flower  painting  on 
velvet  which  adorned  the  altar,  and  testified 
at  least  to  the  skill  and  industry  of  the  pres- 
ent nuns. 

Just  as  they  came  out,  Kate  had  an  un- 
expected rencontre  with  an  old  school-mate 
visiting  Quebec  on  her  wedding  tour.  As 
they  were  about  to  part, — after  a  hundred 
rjipid  questions  and  answers  had  been  ex- 
changed,— Kate's  friend  exclaimed  : 

"  And  where  do  you  think  I  am  boarding? 
At  tlie  very  house  where  Kitty  in  'A  Chance 
Acquaintance,'  stayed ;  and  if  you  will  just 


Jou'tt  the  Oliver  ta  the  ,^ca. 


193 


ic- 
se 
\io 
jU 

ass 
lud 
nch 

pve- 
e  to 
nted 

A  \)y 
)ecial 

ig  on 
Itified 

pres- 

|u  un- 

-inate 
As 
iidred 
ill  ex- 
king? 
Chance 

111  just 


come  with  me  you  shall  look  fiom  the  very 
window  of  Kitty's  room  and  see  the  view  of 
which  the  hook  gives  such  a  lively  descrip- 
tion." 

May  was  enchanted,  and  the  girls  were 
soon  looking  into  the  garden  of  the  Ursuline 
convent  from  the  window  at  which  her  fa- 
vorite heroine  was  supposed  to  have  stood, 
looking  down  at  the  shady  walks  helow. 
Kate  and  Flora  declared  that  it  did  not  look 
quite  so  poetical  as  in  3[r.  Howell's  pages,  hut 
May  would  not  entertain  the  idea  of  disap- 
pointment, and  tried  to  see  all  Kitty  saw, 
though  encroaching  huildings  have  a  good 
deal  spoiled  the  quaint  old  garden,  amid 
whose  lilacs  and  tall  hollyhocks  that  youn^ 
lady  used,  on  moonlight  nights,  to  evolve  the 
shades  of  Madame  de  la  I'eltrie  and  the  first 
heroic  tenants  of  the  convent. 

After  the  morning's  adventures  the  early 
dinner  was  very  welcome,  as  well  as  a  little 
rest,  with  the  view  fr(mi  their  fascinating 
windows  hefore  them  ;  after  which  they 
strolled  along  the  Grand  IJattery  and  (piiet 
Esplanade,  and  penetrated  intollu!  quidntly 
picturesque  grounds  of  the  Artillery  Bar- 
racks, and  looked  from  the  weuther-heaten 


194         Jowtt  the  lllvcr  to  the  <f  ca. 

old  arsenal  on  the  wall,  at  the  beautiful 
glimpse,  across  docks  and  grimy  old  sub- 
urbs, of  the  fair  green  valley  of  the  St. 
Charles,  with  Charlesbourg  opposite,  sitting 
royally  on  her  hilltops. 

"And,  beyond  it,  you  know,"  said  INIay, 
mixing  up  fact  and  fiction,  "are  the  ruins  of 
the  old  Cliateau  Bigot,  where  the  wicked 
Intendant  had  his  pleasure-parties  and  ca- 
rousals, and  where  Kitty  and  ]Mr.  Arbuton 
went  for  a  picnic, — don't  you  recollect?" 

They  did  not  find  time  to  go  to  see  it,  how- 
ever, but  explored  the  city  pretty  thorough- 
ly, finding  in  the  name  of  every  street  a  bit 
of  crystallized  history,  recalling  some  name 
or  inc  dent  connected  with  its  past.  There 
was  Donnacona  Street, — recalling  the  kid- 
napped Indian  chief,  and  Breboeuf  Street,  re- 
minding them,  of  the  two  heroic  Jesuit  mar- 
tyrs,— and  Buade  Street,  associated  with  the 
haughty  and  energetic  Governor,  Louis 
lUiade  deFrontenac,  under  whom  the  French 
re'jlme  saw  its  proudest  days.  Tliey  walked 
along  the  ramparts  as  far  as  the  new  "  im- 
provements," then  in  progress,  would  let 
them  and  sighed  over  the  ruthless  demoli- 
tion of  the  old  gates — Prescott  Gate  and 


§omx  the  ?Rivcr  U  the  j^ea. 


195 


iul 
ib- 

St. 

IS  of 

.  ca- 
uton 


;t,  re- 
luar- 
i\\  tlic 
ll.ouis 
[rencli 
ralkecl 

"  im- 
lld  let 
lemoU- 

-,Q  and 


Palace  Gate,  and  the  picturesque  old  Hope 
Gate,  so  graphically  described  by  INIr.  IIovv- 
ells,  and  even  over  the  renovation  of  the 
others,  which  had  lost  all  their  historic  in- 
terest. They  spent  some  hours  in  diving 
into  the  recesses  of  the  old  town,  its  market- 
place and  churches  and  curious  old  alleys, 
(lignifled  by  the  name  of  streets,  and  walked 
along  the  Saulx  Aux  Matelots,  trying  to  fix 
the  very  place  where  Arnold  fell,  on  that 
miserable  December  morning  of  1775 ;  and 
looked  long  at  the  "Golden  Dog" — Chien 
iVor — above  the  Post  Office,  whereby  hangs 
a  tragic  tale.  And  they  had  a  quiet  Sunday 
for  resting,  with  those  lovely  glimpses  of  dis- 
tant hills  meeting  their  eyes  wherever  they 
turned ;  and  attended  a  service  in  the  quaint 
old-fashioned  English  Cathedral,  which, 
with  the  equally  old-fashioned  Scottish 
church  and  Manse,  have  such  a  quaint  old- 
world  air,  like  everything  else  in  Quebec. 

But  of  course  they  drove  to  Montmorency 
Falls,  devoting  to  it  a  whole  delightful  after- 
noon. Their  course  lay  across  Dorchester 
IJridge,  and  then  between  meadows  of  em- 
erald green,  stretching  down  to  the  river 
and  fringed  with  graceful  elms  and  beeches, 


19G         goan  the  JJiicr  to  the  j^a. 

with  pretty  old-fiishioiied  country  houses 
hero  and  there,  which  the  girls  of  course 
culled  diataau.i'^  and  then  down  the  long  vil- 
lage street  of  I  Jeauport, — the  steep- roofed  lit- 
tl(5  liouses  in  brigiit  variety  of  color  succeed- 
ing each  other  for  several  miles,  with  their 
long  garden-like  strips  of  farm  extending 
down  to  tiie  river  on  one  side,  luid  upwards 
towards  the  hills  on  the  other.  Bright  llow- 
ers  grew  in  front  of  the  windows,  and  trim, 
dark-eyed  French  girls  sat  at  the  doors  and 
on  the  little  balconies,  sewing  or  knitting 
away  busily,  while  they  chattered  in  their 
native  tongue.  In  the  middle  of  the  vilhige 
stood  the  great  stone  church,  with  its  bright 
tin-covered  steeples,  seen  ever  so  many  miles 
oil'. 

After  passing  Beauport  the  scenery  grew 
wilder,  and  soon  they  rattled  over  a  wooden 
bridge,  below  which  the  foaming  JNIontmo- 
rency  brawled  over  the  brown  rocks,  at  this 
late  season  partially  dry.  A  little  farther 
on  stood  the  inn,  where  carriages  wait,  and 
they  had  only  to  pass  through  a  gate  and 
walk  along  the  high  river  bank  to  the  dizzy 
stair  down  the  cliff,  from  whence  they  could 
see  to  the  best  advantage  the  beautiful  fall. 


5ou»  thr  itirrr  to  the  ,$ca.         1D7 


uses 
ursc 
;  vil- 
li lU- 

Uieiv 

vavtls 
,  flow- 
trim, 
L's  and 
litlins 
I  ilicir 
villiiffti 
l)vio;ljt 
miles 


plnn«^infT  in  oneaviiliiiiclio  of  foiiiii  from  tlie 
giddy  liLM^lit  above,  crowiu'd  ]»y  (Iccp  j^reen 
woods  that  contrasted  strongly  willi  the 
glitterinjTj  slieet  of  foam  and  sjiray,  whih;  a 
few  beantifnl  httle  outlying  cascades  trickled 
over  the  dark  brown  rock  in  braided  thi'eads 
of  silver. 

"How  delightful  it  would  be,"  said  May 
and  Flora  together,  "to  stay  a  whole  month 
at  that  little  imi,  and  come  every  day  to  sit 
here;  and  look  and  look,  till  one  was  satis- 
lied!"  And  the  others  sighed  regretfully 
as  the  fast  descending  sun  warned  them 
that  it  was  time  to  return  to  the  inn  wIku'c 
they  had  left  the  carriage,  and  drive  home 
past  the  bright  little  gardens  and  piclur- 
'  es(pie  cottages  of  Beauport — brighter  in  the 
slanting  rays  of  the  evening  sun, — and  re- 
joiced in  the  golden  glory  which  the  sunset 
threw  over  the  tin  roofs  of  (Quebec,  glitter- 
ing with  an  intense  golden  radiance  out  of 
the  grey  setting  of  rock  and  misty  dis- 
tance. 

But  May  thought  their  morning  at  Sillery 
the  climax  of  nil  the  delights  of  Quebec. 
They  went  by  one  of  the  steamboats  which 
are  always  darting  up  and  down  the  river, 


:  I 


I  i'^ 


II 


198         goun  the  giver  io  the  ^ca. 

80  that  from  its  dwik,  tlicy  litid  aiiotlufr  line 
view  of  the  qiuiint  ^rcy  town  risin^%  tier 
above  tier,  to  tlie  Terrace  alM)ve,  wlieri;  tlie 
people  looked  like  Lilliputian  lij;ni-es  out  of 
a  doll's  house.  Then  tliey  steamed  slowly 
past  the  crowded  docks,  the  great  black 
steamships  and  statel}^  sailing  vessels,  some 
(  f  them  l)earing  strange  Swedish  or  Nor- 
wegian names, — past  the  foot  of  Cape  Dia- 
mond, crowned  by  the  C.Mtadel,  on  the  rocky 
side  of  which  they  could  distinctly  I'oad  the 
inscription:  "Here  jMontgomery  Fell;" 
past  the  long  street  of  French  hous(;s  thiit 
lines  the  shore  below  the  plains;  past  fine 
wooded  heights  with  stately  white  country 
houses  gleaming  through  the  deep  green 
foliage;  till,  on  turning  a  i)oint  of  the  leai'y 
clilf,  they  saw  before  them  the  curve  of 
Sillery  l>ay,  with  its  fringe  of  many  colored 
cottages  and  yellow  rafts  and  hnnber  piles; 
while  op])osite,  the  great  stone  church  with 
its  gleaming  steeple  towered  over  the  flour- 
ishing village  of  New  Liverpool.  Stepping 
out  upon  the  wooden  pier,  the  travellers 
walked  on  past  the  anchored  rafts  on  which 
men  were  busy  squaring  timber  with  prac- 
tised strokes,  and  up  to  where  the  gracefully 


§oxm  the  iRivcr  ta  the  ^ca. 


19U 


f\ne 

tier 
I  the 
ut  of 
nwly 
1)1  ack 
some 

Nor- 
\  l)i«i- 
voc.ky 
id  the 
l^^ell ;" 
a  tbat 
rtt  lino 
^wiilry 

0  U'iii'y 
irvo  of 

M)loV^'<^ 

•  piU's ; 
h  with 
3  floiu'- 

vellers 
which 

I  prac- 
cefuUy 


curving  village  street  Ix'gan.  And  there 
May  had  a  delightfid  surprise.  A  dilapi- 
dated weather-worn  old  cottage  stood  be- 
fore them,  and  above  it,  from  an  overbang- 
ing  elm,  hung  a  l)oard  cm  wliieh  tbey  read 
the  inscription  :  '•'•  J^Jm place) nc tit  ihi  canvent 
des  Jielhjieiisen  Ifosjn(<(lid)'ef<.^'* 

"There!"  exclaimed  iNIay,  "  tbat  is  tlie 
place  wbere  tlie  mnis  of  the  Hotel  Dieu 
lived  when  they  first  arrived  with  Madame 
de  la  Peltrie,  before  tbey  could  make  up 
their  minds  to  Imild  on  tbe  rough  rocky  site 
they  gave  to  tbem  in  (Quebec."  Tbey  all 
stood  for  a  little  wliile,  looking  at  tbe  sbabby 
old  cottage,  trying  to  imagine  what  that 
first  Canadian  hospital  looked  like ;  and 
then  they  walked  up  the  (piaint  old-fasb- 
ioned  street,  with  its  gambrel-roofed  bouses, 
each  having  its  gay  little  flower-garden  in 
front,  till  they  came  to  a  gray  stuccoed,  two- 
story  house,  standing  a  little  way  back  from 
the  street,  with  a  square  enclosure  just  op- 
posite, in  which  stood  a  plain  white  monu- 
ment. 

"There  it  is!"  May  exclaimed,  with 
breathless  delight ;  "  tbe  old  Jesuit  resi- 
dence !     And  tbat  square  opposite  is  the 


200         §m\\  iht  %\mv  to  the  ^ca. 


place  where  their  little  church  stood,  just  as 
it  was  all  described." 

They  opened  the  stiff  gate  with  some  dilli- 
culty,  and  walked  into  the  little  enclosure, 
where  they  read  the  inscription  in  French 
and  English, — one  commemorating  the  rude 
little  church  where  the  Jesuits  and  their 
Algonquin  converts  had  worshipped,  about 
two  hundred  and  fifty  years  ago;  and  the 
other  dedicated  to  the  memory  of  the  first 
missionary  who  died  there — Pore  PZneniond 
Masse — the  Pore  utile,  as  he  was  called,  be- 
cause he  could  do  anything,  from  saying- 
mass  to  ship-building,  or  even  tending  tlie 
pigs  of  the  establishment,  thinking  notliing 
beneath  him  that  needed  to  be  done,  and  be- 
ing such  a  favorite  with  all  tliat  he  was 
always  chosen  to  accompany  their  expedi- 
tions as  Father  Confessor.  Most  of  tliis 
May  was  able  to  tell  the  rest  of  the  party, 
as  they  stood  beneath  the  two  maples  that 
shaded  the  enclosure. 

Then  they  took  a  look  at  the  outside  of 
the  old  residence,  which,  however,  has  been 
renewed  more  than  once  since  the  substan- 
tial inner  framework  was  built,  and  tried  to 
imagine  the  strange  solitary  life  that  its  in- 


g0um  the  ^ivcr  U  the  ,f  ca.         ioi 


as 

iffi- 

ive, 

ncU 

iide 

heir 

jOUt 

the 
first 
iioiul 
I,  be- 

[y  the 

thini^ 

(1  he- 
was 

pedi- 
this 

)arty, 
that 

Ide  of 

been 

)stan- 

[ied  to 

its  in- 


mates must  have  lived,  especially  in  bitter 
winter  weather,  shut  out  from  all  society, 
excei)t  that  of  a  few  Algonquhis  and  trap- 
pers. 

That  afternoon  was  their  last  in  Quebec. 
They  drove  in  from  Sillery  by  the  pretty  St. 
Louis  road,  fringed  with  shady  country 
seats,  and  commanding,  at  many  points, 
glorious  glimpses  of  the  grand  mountain 
panorama  on  both  sides  of  the  city.  As  they 
passed  the  "  Plains  of  Abraliam "  they 
stopped  once  more  to  look  at  the  rather  for- 
lorn-looking monument  whicli  commemo- 
rates Wolfe's  death,  and  the  victory  for  (Ireat 
liritain,  which  secured  half  a  continent ;  and 
tried  to  trace  the  lines  of  advance  up  tlie 
rugged  clihs  by  which  the  hero  had  sur- 
prised the  unsuspecting  French.  Tiiis  was, 
appropriately  enough,  their  last  siglit-seeing 
in  (Quebec,  and  the  evenhig  following  wa:^ 
spent  on  Dult'erin  Terrace  watching  the 
exquisite  sunset  thits  melt  away  from  thi; 
river  and  the  distant  hills,  witli  a  pathetic 
touch  which  seemed  to  them  like  the  mem- 
ories they  would  always  cherish  of  the  ro- 
mantic old  town. 


202        §om  the  ^ivcv  U  i\\t  ^a. 


CHAPTER  V. 


AMONG    THE    HILLS. 


As  the  little  party  went  on  board  the 
Saguenay  boat  next  morning,  a  surprise  was 
in  store  for  them,  for  who  should  come  to 
meet  them,  with  the  most  smiling  air,  but  Mr. 
Winthrop  himself,  looking  very  bright,  and 
meeting  them  all  as  if  it  had  been  the  most 
matter-of-course  thing  in  the  Avorld !  Kate 
met  him  with  the  same  cordial,  matter-of- 
course  air,  but  May  observed  that  they  ex- 
changed a  few  words  in  a  low  tone,  which 
seemed  to  set  them  on  their  old  footing  at 
once. 

"  Do  you  know,"  said  Flora,  to  her,  as 
they  stood  apart  in  the  stern,  taking  a  last 
look  at  the  great  frowning  rock  and  the  tall, 
dark  houses  loomingabove  them, — "  I  believe 
some  one  wrote  to  him  and  explained  Kate's 
misconception,  and  I  have  my  suspicions  as 
to  who  it  was.    I  saw  Hugh  scribbling  off  a 


§0xvn  the  mvtx  U  the  ^ea.        203 


ex- 

licli 


last 

tall, 

klieve 

date's 

Ins  as 

off  a 


few  lines  in  a  great  hurry,  that  evening  on 
the  boat,  and  T  shouldn't  wonder  in  the  least 
if  it  was  to  Mr.  Winthrop !  lint  I'm  glad 
it's  all  right,  for  I  think  he  is  a  very  nice 
fellow,  and  Kate  and  he  would  suit  each 
other  very  well." 

May  was  completely  tjiken  back.  Had 
Flora  no  thought  of  Hugh,  then?  Or  did  it 
not  occur  to  her  that  his  happiness  might 
be  in  some  degree  involved  in  this  matter? 
But  if  Hugh  really  did  what  she  supposed, 
how  very  noble  it  was  of  him !  He  was  a  real 
hero,  a  chivalrous  knight!  However,  she 
could  not,  of  course,  say  anything  of  this  to 
Flora,  so  she  silently  determined  to  put 
Hugh  and  his  fortunes  quite  out  of  her 
thoughts  for  the  present,  as  too  perplexing 
a  problem,  and  give  herself  up  entirely  to 
the  influence  of  the  glorious  scenery  and 
the  lovely  morning. 

They  were,  l)y  this  time,  fast  losing  sight 
of  the  grey  old  fortress  about  which  had 
raged  so  many  fierce  conflicts  in  the  days  of 
old.  The  Isle  of  Orleans,  along  whose 
southern  shore  the  steamer  took  her  course, 
quickly  hid  from  tliem  the  picturesque  old 
town  and  its  beautiful  setting,  and  even  the 


Mini: 


204         |l0UJn  the  %ivtv  to  iU  $tiu 


rocky  cleft  in  which  Moutnioreiicy  was  cease- 
lessly pouring  down  its  masses  of  snowy 
foam,  and  raising  its  great  mist-cloud  to  the 
sky.  As  the  Isle  of  Orleans  was  itself  left 
behind,  the  glorious  river  grew  wider  and 
grander,  as  point  after  point  opened  before 
them  in  ever-receding  vista.  Tlie  bhie, 
cloudlike  masses  of  Cap  Tourmente  and  Ste. 
Anne  gradually  became  great  dark  hills,  cov- 
ered from  head  to  foot  with  a  dense  growth 
of  foliage,  chiefly  birch  and  fir.  One  after 
another  of  this  magnificent  range  of  sujierb 
hills  rose  on  their  left,  wooded  from  base  to 
summit,  and  looking  almost  as  lonely  and 
untouched  by  civilization  as  when  Cartier's 
" white-whiged  canoes"  first  ascended  the 
"  great  river  of  Ilochelaga."  Here  and  there 
a  white  village  or  two  gleamed  out  fiom  the 
encompassing  verdure,  or  stood  perched  on 
a  hill-top  beside  its  protecting  church.  To 
May,  who  had  so  often  dreamed  over  the 
voyages  of  these  early  explorers,  it  seemed 
like  an  enchanted  land.  The  Isle  of  Or- 
leans was  to  her  the  old  "  He  de  Bacchns^'' 
purple  with  the  festoons  oi  wild  vines  thnt 
ottered  their  clusters  of  grapes  to  the  French 
adventurers,  and  the  beautiful  He  aux  Cou- 


Haivtt  the  |{ivcr  to  the  ^c;u         205 

dres,  which  the  Ciii)tiiiii  pointed  out,  she  re- 
called lis  ill  like  nuiiiiier  an  old  acquiiint- 
jince,  surveying  it  with  much  hiterest,  us  she 
pictured  to  herself  the  hardy  explorers  re- 
galing themselves  on  its  native  filberts. 

Then  the  noble  bay  of  St.  l^anFs  opened 
out  its  grand  spreading  curve,  with  the 
pretty  village  of  Les  Ebouleinents  nestling 
in  its  breast ;  and  by  and  by  they  had  stopped 
at  the  massive  light-house  with  its  high 
pier,  hitended  to  suit  the  variations  of  the 
tide. 

"  Wh:it  a  lonely  life  it  must  be  in  these  soli- 
tudes ! "  observed  Mr.  Winthrop,  as  they 
watched  the  great  lumbering  ferry-boat 
carrying  off  the  passengers  whose  homes 
lay  among  these  hills; — "just  think  of  the 
contrast  between  life  here  and  life  in  the 
crowded  bustle  of  Xew  York." 

"And  yet,"  said  Hugh,  "I  fancy  life  is,  in 
the  main,  not  so  very  different  here,  if  wo 
could  only  see  below  the  surface.  I  sup- 
pose the  main  outlines  of  life  are  pretty 
much  the  same  everywhere,  after  all !  " 

}.Iay  had  been  inwardly  following  out  the 
;;ame  thought,  and  trying  to  imagine  the 
sort  of  lil'e  and  surroundings  to  which  the 


200         gouitt  the  ^'mt  U  the  ^ea. 

pule  girl  in  gray,  who  had  specially  excited 
her  interest  as  a  supposed  bride,  was  going 
in  her  future  home.  Then  the  voyagers 
dreamily  watched  for  some  time  in  silence 
the  long  silent  procession  of  wooded  hills, 
dai^pled  by  the  shadow  of  the  great  lleecy 
white  clouds  that  swept  up  across  the  blue 
sky,  while,  ever  and  anon,  snowy  sea-gulls 
darted  down  to  catch  from  the  tossing  crests 
of  the  sparkling  waves,  the  fragments  of 
food  thrown  to  them  by  passengers,  seem- 
ing to  spy  it  unerringly  from  afar,  and  now 
and  then  white  whales  or  porpoises  would 
toss  up  a  miniature  geyser,  as  they  disported 
themselves  in  the  azure  tide. 

At  length  they  came  in  sight  of  the  head- 
land forming  the  upper  end  of  picturesque 
Murray  Bay,  where  they  were  to  spend 
some  time  on  their  return  from  the  Sague- 
nay.  They  all  admired  the  lovely  vista 
opened  up  by  this  long  and  narrow  bay  with 
its  white  church,  marking  the  village  from 
afar,  with  its  grand  promontory  of  Cap  a 
FAigle  at  its  lower  extremity,  and  its  green 
valley,  hemmed  in  by  rank  after  rank  of 
billowy  blue  hills.  But  they  could  not  see 
much  of  the  long  straggling  village  of  Pointe- 


§m%  the  ^'wtx  U  the  ^ca.         tlOl 


au-Pic,  cr  the  quaint  foreign-looking  French 
hamlet  in  the  centre  of  the  curve  of  the  bav. 
Indeed,  their  attention  was  quickly  diverted 
froiii  examimng  its  details,  for,  among  the 
people  who  stood  on  the  high  pier  awaiting 
the  steamboat,  they  speedily  recognized 
Jack  and  Nellie  Armstrong,  who  gi'ceted 
them  with  much  delight,  and  were  soon  be- 
fiide  them  on  the  steamer's  deck. 

--  You  see  we  gotliere  in  advance  of  you,  " 
said  Jack  Armstrong,  and  Nellie  exclaimed : 
"  We've  been  wondering  what  could  possi- 
bly have  become  of  you.  We  have  been 
watching  the  last  two  boats,  prepared  to 
join  you  if  you  were  there,  and  were  begin- 
ning to  despair  of  you  altogether.  You 
must  have  been  bewitched,  either  by  Que- 
bec or  the  Thousand  Islands,  to  have  been 
so  long  on  the  way. ' 

"  And  you  have  very  nearly  missed  the 
moon,"  added  Jack.  "  We've  been  watch- 
ing it  for  the  last  two  or  three  evenings  in 
fear  and  trembling  lest  Miss  ]\hicnab  and 
Miss  Thorburn  should  miss  their  ciierished 
desire  of  seeing  Cape  Eternity  by  moon- 
light." 

"  Oh,  I  think  there  is  enough  of  it  left 


'  ',-i  -f  ■ ;'  y 


208         goivu  the  Oliver  to  i\\t  ^ett. 


yet,"  said  Kate,  wliile  Mrs.  Sandford  re- 
marked that  she  thought  she  never  shoukl 
liave  been  able  to  tear  those  people  away 
from  the  delights  of  the  Thousand  Islands. 

"Or  from  Quebec,"  said  Flora  and  ]VIay 
together.  "  77(116  was  almost  the  loveliest 
of"  all." 

"  Ah,  I  told  you  you  would  enjoy  Quebec, 
Miss  Macnab !  "  said  Jack  Armstrong.  And 
presently  May  observed  that  he  had  drawn 
Flora  a  little  aside,  and  engaged  her  in 
an  animated  description  of  what  she  had 
most  enjoyed  since  they  had  left  Port  Hope. 
And,  indeed,  she  was  looking  charming 
enough,  in  her  Inverness  cape  and  deer- 
stalker caj),  to  draw  forth  a  good  deal  of  ad- 
miration. May  thought.  As  for  Kate,  in  her 
rough  ulster  and  cap  to  match,  with  her 
color  heightened  by  the  sharp  sea  breeze, 
she  was  looking  brilliantly  handsome,  so 
evidently  thought  Mr.  Winthrop,  who  kept 
near  her,  displacing  Hugh  altogether,  as 
May  at  last  believed.  But  now  they  were 
nearly  opposite  Les  Pelerins,  the  strange 
parallel  rocks  that  stand,  silent,  stately  war- 
ders beside  the  great  river,  widening  into  a 
broad  sea-like  expanse,  with  a  line  of  dis- 


gou'u  the  JUvfv  to  the  ^ca. 


209 


e 
\(l 

Is. 

••vy 

est 

)CC, 

iwn 
:  in 
had 
iope. 

Bing 
kev- 
i  ad- 
1  her 
her 
eeze, 
so 
kept 
as 
were 
•aiige 
war- 
Into  a 
If  dis- 


tant hills  faintly  breaking  the  liorizon  to 
llio  I'ii^lit,  whilo  on  tlie  left,  the  g'reat  hills 
which  had  been  accompanying^  them  all  day 
now  receded  somewhat  into  the  distance. 
Tiien  the  little  red  brick  town  of  liiviere- 
(lu-Loup  gleamed  out  ruddy  on  its  slo[)ing 
hill,  growing  more  and  more  distinct  until  tlie 
steamer  had  drawn  up  beside  the  high  i)ier, 
on  which  were  a  number  of  sunnner  tour- 
ists eager  to  see  who  were  on  the  boat,  or 
toccet  a  little  fresh  news  from  the  outside 
world.  IJidding  these  farewell,  they  quickly 
passed  the  long,  straggling  line  of  white  cot- 
tages that  marked  the  pleasant  watering- 
place  of  Cacouna.  Our  travelers  meant  to  visit 
it,  and  also  Kivicre-du-Loup,  with  its  grand, 
romantic  water-fall,  on  the  homeward  way, 
but  at  present  their  thoughts  were  engrossed 
with  the  Saguenay,  and  JMay's  dreaming 
imagination  was  already  busy  with  the  blue 
ridge  of  rounded  hills  that,  as  she  was  told, 
marked  the  entrance  and  the  course  of  that 
mysterious  river.  I3ut,  as  they  crossed  over 
towards  the  south  side  of  the  sea-like  river, 
they  had  a  specimen  of  the  glorious  sunsets 
which  form  one  of  the  chief  charms  of  Ca- 
couna, shedding  over  the  calm  expanse  of 
14 


210         gouu  the  Jvivct  io  the  jlea. 


water  a  flood  of  golden  glory,  Jind  toucliinj^ 
the  distant  hills  with  the  richest  amethys- 
tine hues,  till  they  seemed  to  float  in  a 
dreamy  haze,  between  the  amber  slcy  and 
the  shimmerhig  golden  tide  below.  The 
sight  held  the  little  party  fascinated  with  its 
entrancing  spell,  and  they  remained  on  deck 
heedless  of  the  summons  of  the  clamorous 
tea-bell,  until  the  rich  hues  and  the  golden 
glory  had  faded  at  last,  not  into  the  "  light 
of  common  day,"  but  into  the  soft  vague- 
ness of  the  long  northern  twilight.  Then  at 
last,  with  a  sigh  for  the  brief  duration  of 
the  beautiful  vision,  they  descended  to  the 
lamp-lit  cabin  to  enjoy  the  appetizing  even- 
ing meal,  which  their  long  afternoon  in  the 
bracing  air  had  made  them  all  ready  to 
thoroughly  enjoy.  • 

When  they  again  came  on  deck  they  were 
just  passing  some  straggling  islets,  darkly 
green  in  the  fast  fading  light,  and  rounding 
Pointe  Noire, — the  fltly-named  dark  point  of 
rock  that  guards  the  entrance  to  the  strange 
mysterious  dark  northern  fiord  about  which 
have  gathered  so  many  a  marvelous  story. 
And  now  May  was  eagerly  looking  out  for  Ta- 
dousac,  with  her  heroine  Kitty,  and  the  ven- 


goutt  the  J{ivcv  to  the  ^ca.  211 


lys- 

II   a 

iind 

The 

liils 

deck 

ll'OUS 

)UleH 

Lig-vie- 
leii  at 
ion  of 
.0  the 
even- 
u  the 
Idy  to 


erable  old  church  and  all  the  little  romance 
that  followed,  ui)perMiost  in  her  imagina- 
tion. Then  those  rounded  ;'and-hills,  skirted 
by  rocks  and  fringed  with  a  scanty  vegeta- 
tion of  stunted  firs,  were,  Mr.  Winihr()[) 
said,  the  "  Mamelons,"  *  about  which  cluster 
strange  old  Indian  legends,  of  tierce  con- 
flicts between  the  Algonquins  and  the  Es- 
quimaux— weird  tales,  too,  of  a  do»)m  or 
curse  on  intermarriage  of  an  Algonquin 
with  an  alien  race,  which  here  overtook  the 
offender  with  its  inevitable  Nemesis.  In  the 
deepening  gloanung,  in  the  shadow  of  the 
dusky  heights  that  towered  on  high,  casting 
long,  dark,  quivering  reflections  in  the  dark 
mysterious  stream,  with  scattered  lights 
twinkling  out  here  and  there,  through  the 
clustering  foliage,  is  Tadousac.  With  its 
straggling  brown  dwellings,  and  the  massive 
timbers  of  the  great  pier  storehoutr^e  looming 
up  in  undefined  vagueness  above  them, 
it  was  easy  to  imagine  any  number  of  legen- 
dary tales  of  love  and  conflict ;  of 

'*  Old  unhappy  things 
And  battles  long  ago," 


*  The  Mamelons — rounded  bluffs. 


212         Jjouu  the  ^ivtx  to  the  ^uu 


111 


as  IIui^li  (luotod  onco  inoro.  The  stciimer 
WJis  iniulc  lust  to  the  i)it'r,  with  niuch  ereiik. 
inj^  jmd  groaning,  us  it'  shiKklering  to  Ik'^jm 
the  uset'iit  of  the  dark,  luteful  river,  wliieli, 
it  is  said,  one  of  the  earliest  explorers  at- 
tempting with  his  men,  found  it  a  fatal  en- 
terprise, none  of  them  ever  returning  to  the 
light  of  day. 

As  the  steamer  was  to  remain  here  half 
an  hour,  the  whole  party  landed,  as  did 
most  of  the  other  passengers,  to  insptu^t  tlie 
little  rude  ancient  ehurcli,  built  lunirly  three 
hundred  years  ago  for  the  Indians  and  the 
trappers  who  traded  with  them — the  oldest 
surviving  building  north  of  IMexico.  They 
took  the  loute  whi(5h  May  had  so  often  fol- 
lowed in  imagination  with  her  shadowy 
friends  of  the  story,  across  the  ravine  and 
through  the  village,  with  its  lights  twink- 
ling all  over  its  little  cove,  till  they  reached 
the  plain,  bare  old  wooden  church,  beside 
which  they  stood  for  some  time  almost 
in  silence,  reverently  regarding  the  little 
wilderness-temple  which  had  so  long  alone 
met  the  needs  and  witnessed  the  devotions 
of  men  rough  and  rude,  but  men  still  with 
the  felt  need  of  Divine  help  in  their  strange 


gown  the  lliirt  to  the  ^ca.         218 


wild  lives.  Uut  tlio  visitors  coiiUl  not  initor, 
nor  were  they  indeed  anxious  to  do  so,  for 
they  felt  that  tliis  niii^dit  have  hrokcMi  tiio 
si)ell  thrown  over  them  by  the  ban^  sombre, 
weath(;r-beaten  exterior  andvem  rabhi  asso- 
eiatl(»ns.  Moreover',  the  steamer  was  already 
wiiistrmj^  its  summons,  so  they  set  out  on 
their  return  throu^li  the  same  shadowy, 
su<?.jjjestive  ^loom  of  dark  pine-studded  roeks 
and  deep  nuirmurinj^  unseen  wati^rfalls,  till 
they  eame  out  suddenly  on  tin;  elusti^red 
litrlits  of  th(!i  landin<;'  and  tluisteumer  stream- 
ing with  lio'ht  through  every  ereviee,  just 
as  .May  had  seiMi  it  so  often,  alrejuly,  thronnh 
the  eyes  of  JMiss  Kitty  Ellison. 

Well,  they  had  left  Tadousac  Ixjiiind 
now,  and  had  fairly  entered  into  the  shad- 
ows of  the  dark  and  sullen  Sa<^uenay,  whii-h 
seems  to  lie  like  a  prisoner  between  its  slern 
frowning  warders  and  to  have  hewn  out  its 
dillie'ult  passage  to  unite  with  the  St.  Law- 
rence, through  the  stern  rocks  that  w(Mdd 
have  shut  it  up  in  its  lonely  gloom  forever. 
To  Hugh,  the  passage  left  behind  seemed 
indeed  a  fortress-gate,  strongly  flanked  by 
tall  overhanging  rocks,  crags  with  gnarled 
savins^  and  white-stemmed  birches  gleam- 


214         JoiVtt  the  lUvcv  to  the  ,*ctt. 


5  ' 


ing  ovon  in  tlio  (IcciuMiiiif:!^  dusk,  cliiif^lii^,  nn 
if  for  lifo,  to  till)  JM^'iifcd  pn^oipiccs.  'IMu^ 
li;\(l  lost  slight  of  tlio  iwinUliiig  lijjjhls  of 
'I'ndousiic,  sot  in  its  littlo  rocky  niclio  of 
t)io  '■''-petite  )n()?it(f(/ne  qui  est  ]>resqne  conpee 
p<fr  ht  ?«cr,''  Jia  Ch!inii)l;nn  lind  doscriluHl  it 
loojn'  i»j;*o,  with  its  "litllo  liarbor,"  winch 
would  hold  only  nine  or  ton  shij)s  in  tlio 
cwhroiichiire  of  tlio  SajL;"ucnjiy,  thon.ujh  niiiny 
n\oroconld  llndshcltor  in  tlio  bay  that  fronts 
the  St.  1-awronco.  The  ca[)tain  of  the 
stcanior  told  the  yonng  men  about  the  little 
lake  close  at  hand,  which  guards  the  pre- 
cious vouul;:  salmon  raised  there  for  the 
(iovcM-nnuMifs  flsh-breedhig  establishment 
at  A  use  de  Teau. 

And  now  the  dark,  vay^ue  forms  of  Titans 
seemed  to  rise  up  on  either  hand, — great 
massive  hills  and  I'lilfs  that  seemed  almost 
to  shut  out  the  ligiit  of  the  stars;  and  most 
of  the  party,  growing  tired  of  the  somewhat 
awesome  silent  processiiui,  took  refuge  in 
the  lighted  saloon,  from  whence  soon  eame 
strains  of  sweet  nuisie,  and  the  tones  of 
Flora's  fresh  young  voice,  in  ''Over the  Sea 
to  Skye,"  which  seemed  not  inappropriate 
to  the  (jenius  loci.    Mr.  Winthrop  and  Hugh 


Houn  the  ^{ivcv  to  the  ,*f«. 


i>15 


ronijiiiKMl  tiilkin^  with  (li(M';i|)ta'm  about  the 
nioro  Hlrikin^  iridurcrt  of  Mkj  s(UMH'ry  imd 
its  liiHtori(nil  uHsociiiiioiiH ;  mikI  to  May,  lialt' 
liHtoiiiii^' to  tlxMn,  lialf  (trcaminf^  out  a^^aiii 
tli6  vivid  iSkctclics  of  Parkiuau,  tlio  soli(u(l(5 
HiMMuiid  iH'oplcd  on(!()  nioro  with  tlio  old  ox- 
ploror.s  who  cstahlished  ti(!.s  of  (!onini(Mr,o 
between  far-away  St.  Alalo  and  tlieH(5  louely 
wildn, — Cartierand  IJohervai,  Poiitj^rave  and 
Chauvin,  and  their  l)ands  of  trappers  and 
7H)i/<f(/(!(frf<^  for  wlioni  the  Indians  [)ad<lled 
tlieir  canoes,  laden  witli  costly  furs,  down 
this  dark,  fatliondess  stream.  She  could 
realize  more  vividly  the  fate  of  ouo  n,nfor- 
tunate  band,  left  at  so  loncily  a,  post  to 
starve,  throujjjii  one  miserable  wiid(n-.  For, 
lii'st,  by  reason  of  its  fabled  wealth  of  ^old 
and  silver  .ind  precious  stoiu^s,  and  after- 
w^ards  for  the  sake  of  its  real  riches  in  furs, 
the  Saguenay  was  even  better  known  to 
the  early  pioneers  than  was  the  river  be- 
tween (Quebec  and  Montreal.  Then,  too, 
May's  thoughts  went  back  to  that  very  dif- 
ferent little  band  of  missionaries, — Ueeollets 
first,  Jesuits  afterwards, — \vlio  eaino  beiiring 
a  Christian  message  of  love  to  the  savages  of 
this  wild  region.     She  remembered  how  the 


216         Joan  the  '^iva  U  i\\c  ^m. 


# 


trio  of  Jesuits  wlio  first  reuched  the  river 
Sagne,  as  it  was  then  called,  in  their  delight 
at  reaching  their  goal,  descrihed  it  as  heing 
"  as  heantifnl  as  the  Seine,  almost  as  rapid 
as  the  Ivlione,  and  deeper  than  many  parts 
of  the  sea,"  and  how  Pore  Le  Jeune,  in  par- 
ticular, felt  that  they  were  the  foi'erunners 
of  a  host  of  hrave  soldiers  of  the  Cross  who 
should  subdue  the  land  for  the  Lord.  She 
remembered  how  the  sight  of  some  i)oor  In- 
dian captives,  cruelly  toi'tured  by  their  cap- 
tors arrayed  in  all  their  uncouth  adorn- 
ment of  parti-colored  paint,  had  so  impressed 
the  good  Fathers  with  pity,  that  they  oidy 
longed  for  an  opportunity  of  preaching  to 
them  the  gospel  of  love  and  peace,  although, 
as  Pore  Le  Jeune  observed,  the  same  fate 
might  at  any  time  befall  themselves.  And, 
indeed,  Pere  Le  Jeiine's,  observation  on  that 
head  is  well  worthy  of  being  recorded : 

"  In  truth,  T  was  cut  to  the  heart.  I  had 
thought  of  coming  to  Canada,  only  because 
I  was  sent.  I  felt  no  particular  regard  for 
the  savages,  but  I  would  have  rendered  obe- 
dience, had  they  sent  me  a  thousand  times 
further;  luit  I  can  truly  say,  that,  even  if  I 
should  have  detested  this  country,  ^  should 


Jlou-n  the  Jlivcr  tu  the  .f  ca.         217 


had 
(ausc 
h  for 

obc- 
limes 

h  if  I 
I  oil  Id 


have  been  touched  by  what  T  liave  seen,  had 
my  heart  been  brass.  Would  to  (4od,  that 
those  who  cau  help  these  poor  souls,  and  do 
something  for  their  salvation,  could  be  here 
for  three  d.iys!  I  think  the  desire  of  sav- 
ing tliem  would  seize  their  whole  souls." 
Then  he  proceeds  to  reflect  that  in  England, 
in  Spain,  in  Germany,  when  the  Gospel  was 
first  carried  thither,  the  barbarism  of  the 
people  had  been  as  great.  (He  says  nothing 
about  France,  evidently  considering  that  the 
time  of  /^.s'  barbarism  belonged  to  remote 
antiquity.)  And  further,  that  the  Indians 
do  not  lack  sense,  but  instruction;  and  then 
goes  on  to  sj[)eak  of  his  plans  for  founding 
schools  for  the  more  docile  children;  thus 
anticipating  the  connnon-sense  missionary 
[)()licy  of  our  own  day.  And  he  takes  ref- 
uge in  the  end,  as  all  souls  yearning  for  the 
salvation  of  their  fellows  have  had  to  do,  in 
the  promise  of  the  Eternal:  '•'■  J)aJto  tihi 
(jentes  heriddtateni  tnam^  ct  pots'.s'e.ss/o^^fim 
terniios  terr ((.'''' 

In  that  sanu;  bay  of  Tadonsac,  too,  IMay 
recollected,  the  good  Fathers  had  their  first 
experience  of  what  the  St.  Lawrence  conld 
do  in  tiie  way  of  a  storm,  and  had  reason  to 


218         gawtt  the  %Vmv  ia  the  ^ea. 


be  thankful  for  the  measure  of  shelter  which 
this  bay  could  give  thein.  As  another  sam- 
ple of  New  World  experience,  they  were 
nearly  eaten  up  by  the  mosquitoes  and  a 
host  of  other  insect  persecutors,  while  the 
fire-flies  formed  at  least  one  cheering  ex- 
ception as  they  glittered  among  the  woods 
"  like  sparks  of  fire,  by  which  he  could  even 
see  to  read  at  night." 

But  tlie  captain  went  on  to  talk  about 
some  of  the  old  floating  legCiids  that  still  in- 
crease the  romantic  interest  attaching  to  this 
strange  river  of  the  North, — of  the  tierce 
battles  between  the  rival  tribes,  in  the  course 
of  one  of  which  is  said  to  have  taken  place 
the  terrible  earthquake  which  rent  asunder 
these  scarped  and  jagged  clifl:'s,  to  form  this 
sublime  channel  of  the  Saguenay.  And  he 
spoke,  also,  of  the  romantic  story  which  has 
been  woven  out  of  the  old  legend  that  a 
mixed  marriage  between  the  white  man  and 
the  Indian  was  followed  by  the  impending 
doom ;  and  the  terrible  forest  fires  which 
have  at  times  swept  over  the  whole  region, 
scorching  and  destroying  all  life,  vegetable 
and  animal,  that  lay  in  their  course,  and 
leaving  their  melancholy  traces  in  the  splin- 


gaii'u  the  lUvcv  io  the  ^ca.         219 


ich 

reve 
xl  fi 

the 

ex- 
oods 
even 

ibout 

lU  in- 

[)  this 

tierce 

iourse 
,^lace 

aiider 
this 
nd  he 
h  has 
hat  a 
m  and 
nding 
ivhich 
■egion, 
etable 

■e,  and 
splin- 


tered, seamed  crags  that  raise  aloft  majes- 
tic forms  once  clothed  in  a  graceful  dra- 
pery of  green,  now  only  crested  here  and 
there  Avith  a  dreary  skeleton  of  their  de- 
parted forests.  It  was  not  difficult  to  im- 
agine the  awfuhiess  of  the  scene  at  night, 
when  the  billows  of  red  flame  and  ruddy 
smoke  rolled  in  dread  maj(!sty  over  those 
grand  hills,  uncontrolled  and  uncontrolla- 
ble, till  they  were  suddenly  checked  l)y  the 
dark,  deep  waters  of  the  cold  and  deep 
river. 

But  the  captain's  talk  ended,  and  Mr. 
Winthrop,  who  had  gone  u[)  the  Saguenay 
before,  was  by  and  by  attracted  into  the  sa- 
loon, and  only  May  and  Hugh  iNIacnab  were 
left  on  deck,  with  a  few  of  the  other  passen- 
gers,who,  like  themselves,were  held  by  a  sort 
of  fascination  in  the  savage  and  sombre  gran- 
deur of  the  dark,  cloud-like  shapes  that 
seemed  to  unroll  themselves  before  theuj  in 
endless  succession.  It  seemed  strange  to  sit 
there,  as  it  were  in  the  presence  of  the  In- 
finities, in  their  awful,  everlasting  silence, 
while  lights  were  streaming  from  the  saloon 
and  from  it  also  were  coming, — ik)W  snatches 
of  the  wild,  wailing  melody  of  "Loch-Lo- 


'220        §ow\x  the  ^{ifcv  U  the  ^ea. 

moiul,"  now  of  tlic  gay  little  French  love 
ditty ; 

"  II  y'a  long  toinps  quo  jo  t'aimc, 
Jamais  jo  no  t'oubliorai  !  " 

whicli  irugli  absently  hummed  in  concert 
with  the  singers  within,  setting  INfay  again 
at  work  on  her  little  romance,  the  ending 
of  wliich  was  so  per[)lexing  her  at  present. 
But  this  was  only  for  a  passing  moment; 
for  the  presence  of  tliese  dark  hills  was  too 
absorbing  to  admit  other  thoughts.  And 
now  the  faintly  dilfused  light  of  the  rising 
moon,  itself  still  hidden  from  view,  made  a 
pale  background  for  the  great  bold  silhou- 
ettes^ and  shovvcd,  too,  something  more  of 
their  minor  features  ;  and  at  last  the  bright 
silver  disk,  shorn  of  something  of  its  round- 
ness, rose  clear  above  the  sharply  defined 
edge  of  a  jagged  crag,  partially  clothed  with 
trees.  And  now  the  great  grooves  and 
seams  of  the  rocks  could  be  distinctly  dis- 
cerned in  unrelieved  ligiit  and  shade, — and 
the  dark  lines  of  such  vegetation  as  could 
here  find  a  foothold,  with  here  and  there  a 
cluster  of  twinkling  lights,  marking  a  little 
centre  of  human  life  in  the  midst  of  the  wil- 
derness.   As  they  advanced,  the  precipices 


Joivtt  the  ilivcr  to  the  ^ca.         221 


ove 


Lcert 
gain 
ding 
sent, 
lent ; 
is  too 
And 
L-ising 
iide  a 
llhou- 
n'C  of 
l)right 


grew  bolder  and  bolder;  one  bold  profile 
after  another  became  defined  in  the  moon- 
light, then  opened  up  new  vistas  of  the  sea 
of  hills  and  precipices  which  was  continu- 
ally changing  its  relation  to  the  spectator. 
And  presently  Hugh  went  in  to  sunnnon  the 
rest  of  the  party  to  come  out,  for,  far  away 
in  the  distance,  a  practised  eye  could  already 
discern,  just  touched  1)y  the  moonlight,  the 
commanding  peak  and  striking  triple  pro- 
file of  Cape  Trinity.  It  seemed  an  impress- 
ive and  solenni  approach  to  the  miglity  crag, 
growing  every  moment  grander  and  more 
majestic  in  the  pale  radiance  of  the  moon- 
light. The  tri[)le  etl'ect,  both  vertically  and 
laterally,  showed  more  effectively,  though 
less  distinctly,  the  bare-browed  cliff  looking 
even  more  imposing  than  in  daylight, — every 
scarped  crag  and  splintered  pinnacle  and 
barbicon  standing  out  in  the  sharp»est  con- 
trast of  light  and  shade.  Tlie  travellers 
gazed  up  at  the  giant,  towering  al)ove  them 
to  such  a  height  that  it  made  one  dizzy  to 
try  to  follow  it  with  the  eye ;  and  so  close 
did  it  seem  impending  over  the  vessel,  that 
they  could  scarcely  realize  their  real  dis- 
tance from  it,  till  a  copper  coin,  thrown  by 


222        §om  the  llivcr  U  the  ^ca. 


Mr.  Winthrop  with  all  his  force,  came  far 
short  of  the  rocky  wall,  and  fell  into  the 
dark  stream  below. 

Cape  Trinity  left  behind,  Cape  Eternity  be- 
gan to  loom  up  in  lonely  majesty  beyond — 
its  mighty  mass  partially  clothed  with  ver- 
dure, and,  like  the  other,  idealized  in  the 
moonlight.  The  awesomeness  of  its  gran- 
deur oppressed  them  with  an  overpowering 
effect  of  dread  sublimity,  and  it  was  almost 
a  relief  when  the  steamer  at  last  glided 
away  from  those  tremendous  embodiments 
of  nature's  savage  grandeur,  and  saw  rising 
before  them  vistas  of  a  somewhat  gentler, 
though  still  bold  and  picturesque  type. 

But  it  was  now  long  past  midnight,  and 
most  of  the  party,  despite  interest  of  the 
scene,  were  growing  exceedingly  sleepy. 
Mrs.  Sandford,  indeed,  had  long  ago  retired 
to  her  state-room,  declaring  that  neither  of 
the  two  famous  cliffs  were  worth  losing  the 
best  half  of  a  night's  rest  for !  The  rest  of 
the  party  now  followed  her  example,  and  as 
May  passed  through  the  ladies'  cabin  to  her 
state-room,  she  was  startled  for  a  moment  by 
seeing  the  dark  forms  of  a  number  of  sleep- 
ing nuns,  who  occupied  the  sofas  instead  of 


goivn  the  JUvcr  U  the  j^cu.         223 


far 
the 

f  he- 
ld— 
ver- 
.  the 
rraii- 
Biing 
.most 
glided 
nents 

rising 
ntler, 

:,  and 
){  the 
lleepy. 
letired 

lier  of 
[ig  the 
lest  of 
ind  as 
Ito  her 
mtby 
isleep- 
ead  of 


berths.  They  were  doubtless  going  out 
from  one  of  the  great  nunneries  on  a  mis- 
sionary expedition,  and  to  May  it  seemed 
deliglitfully  in  harmony  with  the  spirit  of 
the  scene.  Nor  would  it  have  been  at  all 
diilicult  for  her  to  imagine  figures  called  up 
from  the  old  days  when  these  dark  uniforms 
were  the  only  civilized  female  dress  in  all 
the  region  of  the  Saguenay.  She  regarded 
her  own  simple  dark  blue  travelling  dress 
with  a  sigh.  It  certainly  was  not  nearly  so 
pictures(pie ! 

May  sle[)t  soundly  enough,  notwithstand- 
ing the  motion  of  tlie  boat  and  the  creaking 
of  the  chains  and  timbers  during  the  occa- 
sional stoppages.  But  about  daybreak  she 
was  awakened  l)y  the  rattling  of  chains  and 
the  confused  clatter  of  voices,  and  started 
up  in  haste,  that  she  might  not  lose  an  hour 
of  the  wonderful  scenery  about  her.  On 
coming  out  of  her  state-room,  she  was  again 
somewhat  startled  by  the  cluster  of  dark- 
robed  nuns,  some  of  whom  were  already  up, 
and  absorbed  in  their  morning  devotions. 
But  she  had  no  time  to  think  much  about 
them  just  then,  for  through  the  cabin  win- 
dow she  caught  a  glimpse  of  some  wonder- 


224         ^om  the  yavcr  to  the  l^tiu 


fill  granite  peaks,  touched  with  the  loveliest 
rose-color  by  the  light  of  the  sun,  which  had 
not  yet  risen  above  the  rugged  hills  that 
close  in  about  the  crescent  curve  of  Ila-IIa 
Bay.  Calling  Flora  to  make  haste  to  fol- 
low her,  she  stood  for  a  little  time  at  tlie 
stern,  feasting  her  eyes  on  the  exquisite 
solenni  beauty  of  those  i^ranite  hills  thus 
glorified  by  the  coming  day.  Then,  joined 
by  Flora,  to  whom  the  scene  recalled  her  own 
Highland  hills,  she  hastened  on  deck  to  en- 
joy the  full  extent  of  the  lovely  view  around 
them.  They  were  lying,  stranded  by  the 
receding  tide,  near  one  end  of  the  long  bay, 
which  takes  its  name,  according  to  some, 
from  the  surprised  laugh  of  some  of  the  first 
i  xplorers  at  finding  themselves  cul-de-sac  ; — 
according  to  others,  from  their  expression  of 
satisfaction  at  having  at  last  found  sound- 
ings in  this  apparently  fathomless  river. 
Just  above  them,  now  gilded  by  the  level  sun- 
light, rose  a  rugged  height  of  richly-tinted 
granite,  sprinkled  by  birch  and  balsam,  at 
the  foot  of  which  clustered  the  little  grey- 
peaked  wooden  houses  of  the  tiny  hamlet  of 
St.  Alphonse.  The  piazzas  of  the  summer 
hotel,   and  the  steep- roofed  stone  church 


gau'tt  the  yavcr  fa  the  $cu.  225 


;iYer. 

sun- 

inted 


looked  down  fi-om  the  liill-sloi)e  beyond  (lie 
pier,  and,  fai'  alon^-  tlie  swee[)in<;'  enrvc;  of 
the  bay,  tlic  g'leaniin^L;'  vil!ai';('  of  St.  Ah'xis 
shone  white  on  tlie  gi'een  sliore  behind  it, 
long  sloping*  nplands  of  aral)h!  land,  while 
near  it  a  l)laek-hulled  ship  lay  at  anehoi-, 
the  first  anehorage  for  the  mariner  on  thi.s 
dark  rock-bound  stream. 

One  l)y  one  the  little  party  had  colleijted 
on  deck,  with  the  exce[)ti()n  of  Mi's.  Sand- 
ford,  keenly  enjoying  the  loveliness  of  the 
hour  and  scene;  and  already  their  fellow- 
passengers  were  beginning  to  leave  the 
steamer  on  various  little  expeditions,  to  fill 
up  the  hours  which  they  must  wait  for  the 
turning  of  the  tide — some  to  drive  across  the 
hills  or  along  the  shore  of  the  bay;  others 
to  stroll  along  the  sinning  sands  and  exam- 
ine the  long-stretching  weir,  com[)osed  of 
interlaced  boughs,  jutting  far  out  into  the 
stream,  which  here  presents  the  most  fas- 
cinating condjination  of  sea-shore  and  inland 
river.  A  little  party  of  long-robed  ecclesi- 
astics, whom  our  travellers  had  noticed  the 
evening  before,  in  a  corner  of  the  saloon, 
poring    over    their    breviaries,    were   seen 

slowly  ascending  the  hill-slope,  towards  the 
15 


22G         goa'tt  the  Jllicv  to  the  jlett. 

church,  mid  Hugh  .siiggcslud  a  stroll  in  the 
saine  direction,  as  the  ]ull-sl()[)e  seemed  a 
good  point  for  observation  of  the  surround- 
ing landscape. 

The  morning  air  blew  cool  and  bracing  in 
their  faces  as  they  left  the  pier,  the  view 
before  them  growing  grander  and  wider  at 
every  stei).  They  skirted  the;  hotel  grounds, 
where  a  few  early  stirring  guests  on  the  pi- 
azza watched  them  with  great  interest,  and 
soon  found  themselves  at  the  door  of  the 
church,  from  whence  they  could  connnand 
a  noble  panorama  of  hills  and  river  in  their 
cool,  pale  northern  coloring,  somewhat 
warmed  l)y  the  slanting  rays  of  the  early 
August  sun.  But  when  they  presently  en- 
tered the  church,  the  solemn  husli  of  the 
scene  within  carried  off  their  thoughts  in 
an  entirely  different  direction.  It  seemed  a 
large  church  for  so  small  a  settlement,  and 
the  fresh  and  new  look,  the  white  aiid  gold 
decoration,  and  the  robes  of  the  priests, 
seemed  curiously  out  of  keeping  with  the 
primitive  wildness  of  the  surrouiidings.  Tlic 
party  of  ecclesiastics,  wiio,  it  now  appeared, 
numl)ered  a  bishop  among  them,  were  there 
in  full  force,  and  a  small  congregation,  iu- 


m 


IJOU'll  the  llivct  to  iht  ^c«.  227 


eu- 

tUo 

s  in 

icd  a 

iind 

ests, 

the 

The 

ired, 

here 


II,  111- 


chiding  several  officers  of  the  steamboat, 
were  ah-eady  gathered  for  early  mass.  I  lujj^h 
sat  down  reverently  in  the  nearest  seat,  and 
the  others  followed  his  example,  and  re- 
mained there  until  the  short  service  was 
comi)leted.  It  was  singularly  restful  and 
soothing,  and  to  May  and  Flora,  despite 
their  staujich  Protestant  preferences,  it 
was  a  memorable  experience.  The  deep 
tones  of  tlie  officiating  priest  and  the  sol- 
enni  chant  of  the  psalms,  seemed  laden  with 
memories  of  the  days  when  these  same 
chants  first  arose  in  these  savage  solitudes, 
from  the  rude  bark  chapel  or  the  simpler 
forest  sanctuary,  before  the  wondering  eyes 
of  the  half-hostile  Indians. 

As  the  last  chant  died  away  on  the  ear,  it 
was  like  awaking  from  a  dream  of  the  re- 
mote past,  to  come  out  once  more  on  the 
wide  summer  landscape  lying  at  their  feet, 
the  long  line  of  level  sands,  the  stranded 
vessel,  the  still  receding  tide,  the  long 
stretch  of  gray  uplands  and  dark  green 
hills.  But  breakfast  began  to  seem  a  wel- 
come possibility,  which  quickened  the  steps 
of  the  travellers  back  to  the  steamer,  where 
they  found  Mrs.  Sandford  in  a  little  flurry 


2ii8         Jou'u  the  JUvcv  to  the  ,^ciu 


of  concern  about  tlicir  long  absence,  and 
more  tlian  ready,  slie  declined.,  for  lier 
breakfast.  .And  after  their  early  risin.uj  jind 
tlieii"  lonjjj  stroll,  it  scarcely  needs  be  said 
liow  keeidy  tlh^y  enjoyed  the  excellent 
breakfast  of  porrid,i;e,  smelts,  salmon,  fresh 
rolls,  and  excellent  colfee — not  forgetting 
the  blueberries  for  which  the  region  is  so 
famous.  After  breakfast  there  was  still 
some  time  before  the  steamer  could  move. 
Flora  hunted  up  her  sketch-book,  and  went, 
accompanied  by  jNfiiy  and  Nellie,  to  make  a 
sketch  on  shore,  while  Hugh  ]Macnab  and 
Jack  Armstrong,  who  insisted  on  coming, 
too,  amused  themselves  by  clambering  up 
the  rocky  height  a1)ove  them,  to  see  what 
sorts  of  plants  might  be  growing  among  the 
crevices — for  Hugh  was  something  of  a 
naturalist  as  well  as  a  poet.  The  others, 
including  j\[rs.  Sandford,  preferred  to  re- 
main on  the  deck  of  the  steamer,  watching 
the  Uunber  vessel  take  in  her  load,  and  the 
swift  return  of  the  tide,  nearly  as  remark- 
able for  its  speed  as  is  the  Scottish  Solway, 
which  has  furnished  the  comparison  : — 

"  Love  flows  like  the  Solway 
And  ebbs  like  its  tide." 


^oun  the  Tsh'tv  to  the  f  c«. 


2t>9 


As  tlie  j^'ii'ls  sat  there,  a  youiiuf,  pleasant- 
faced  /tahitdiite  came  up  to  them,  followed 
by  two  or  three  tiny  children,  .i^iad  to  ex- 
change a  word  with  the  strangers,  and  to 
otfer  for  sale  tiny  canoes,  which  the  inex- 
perienced hands  of  the  children  had  sha[)e(l, 
in  imitation  of  the  pretty  toy  canoes  olfered 
for  sale  at  all  the  booths  of  French  and  In- 
dian wares.  They  spoke  no  English,  and 
May  was  too  doubtful  of  her  French  to  try 
it,  but  Nellie  and  Flora  opened  a  conversa- 
tion with  her,  to  her  evident  pleasure,  for, 
in  so  secluded  a  spot,  a  talk  with  a  stranger 
is  an  event.  "  Ves,"  she  said,  after  telling 
the  names  and  ages  of  the  children ;  "  yes, 
the  summer  /6'  very  short,  and  the  winter 
long  and  cold."  But  then  her  husband 
stays  at  home,  and  in  sunnner  he  is  away, 
working  on  boats,  and  that  is  evidently 
compensation — for  he  is  '•'•  un  ban  r/r/rjv>y^" 
And  indeed  she  seemed  a  happy  wife  and 
mother,  for  the  blessings  of  life,  happily, 
generally  counterbalance  its  privations. 
The  girls  gladly  bought  the  tiny  canoes,  the 
"'prentice  work"  of  the  little  childish  hands, 
and,  after  an  interested  infi)ection  of  Flora's 
sketch,  and  many  admiring  connnents  there- 


280         goivu  the  yaicv  fa  the  ^ca. 


upon,  they  parted — the  trsivollers  to  Tetvini 
to  tlie  stetuner,  tlie  chihli'(3ii  and  their 
mother  to  i-eturii  cO  their  adxoie^  hapjty  in 
their  little  store  of  silver  c(»iiis.  And  now 
the  tide  has  flowed  in,  np  to  the  end  of  the 
weirs,  the  seattered  passengers  are  collected 
on  hoard,  and  the  steamer,  with  screw  re- 
volvinii:  once  more,  glides  swiftly  ont  of 
Ihi-Ha  r>ay,  leaving  hehind  all  its  rugged 
heanty  and  its  primitive,  secluded  life  ;  and 
turns  up  another  hend  of  the  fioi'd,  towards 
the  great  hill  curves  that  hound  the  vista. 
Point  after  point,  hend  after  hend,  succeed 
each  other  in  l)e\\  ildering  succession,  wliih; 
the  travellers  feel  once  more  how  distinct  is 
the  stern  suhliiuity  of  the  Saguenay  from 
the  grand  heauty  of  the  St.  Lawrence.  Tiu* 
great,  hare  splintered  crags  that  rear  their 
grey,  furrowed  hrows  to  the  sky,  the  end- 
less succession  of  pine-crested  hills,  craggy 
points,  daik, deep  gorges,  and  WTather-woin 
and  liclien-scarred  rocks,  contorted  hy  fire 
and  water  into  every  conceivahle  form, 
seemed  almost  oppressive,  at  last,  in  their 
almost  unhroken  savage  wilderness.  Here 
and  there  green  uplands  and  stretches  of 
softer  forest  verdure,  or  sheltered  valleys, 


Down  the  Oliver  to  the  ^cn. 


r» 


2S1 


with  little  settlements  nestliiicj  in  their  laps, 
or  clinging  to  the  sheltering  rocks,  introduce 
a  gentler  tone ;  hut  the  general  impression 
is  one  of  savage  sterility,  scarrisd  hy  the 
traces  of  dev.istation  on  the  fire-swept  hills, 
hristling  with  dark  tree  skeletons,  and  hy 
the  sullen  darkness  of  the  stream  itself. 
And  now  and  then  the  sky  grew  grey,  too, 
as  a  sudden  s(piall  swept  down  the  gorge ; 
and  it  was  easy  to  associate  with  the  wild 
mountain  fiord  the  strange  tales  told  to  the 
early  explorers,  and  to  see  in  imagination 
the  fur-laden  canoes,  with  their  silent,  dusky 
paddlers  wending  their  way  down  the 
rocky  cafion.,  which  the  river  seems  to  have 
hewn  for  itself  with  such  difficulty,  from 
the  inaccessible  solitudes  behind,  tln-ougli 
the  sea  of  rocks  between  these  and  the  St. 
Lawrence. 

As  they  steamed  onward  towards  Chicou- 
timi,  however,  which  is  the  real  head  of  the 
bay,  the  scenery  becomes  softer  in  type, 
and,  amid  the  rolling  uplands,  cluster  little 
white  villages,  each  with  its  guardian 
church.  Chicoutimi,  with  its  fine  stone 
church  on  the  hill,  and  its  sawmill  and  lum- 
ber-yard below,  comes  into  view,  as  they 


23*2         gown  the  |Uin*  to  the  ^f«. 


M 


round  one  of  the  numberless  points,  a  place 
of  some  consequence  in  this  lumbering' 
country.  Tlie  steamer  stops  at  the  pier, 
and  tlie  little  band  of  rdifjieuses  disemburk 
and  wend  their  way  to  the  convent  on  llie 
hill,  while  May  and  Flora  watch  their  black- 
robed  figures  and  vainly  speculate  on  tlicir 
past  and  their  future,  wondering  what  rou- 
thieof  duties  awaits  them  here,  and  whether 
they  are  of  the  same  heroic  fibre  with  tliose 
who,  two  hundred  years  ago,  crossed  the 
stormy  ocean  into  exile  in  this  wilderness, 
in  order  to  nurse  sick  Indians  and  teach  In- 
dian children  their  Pater- Noster. 

As  the  steamer  left  Chicoutimi  behind, 
Hugh  Macnab  and  Mr.  Whithrop  discov- 
ered two  or  three  half-breed  voyaf/eurs^  com- 
ing down  with  the  luggage,  l)oats,  etc.,  of  a 
party  of  gentlemen  who  had  been  canoeing 
among  the  rocks  and  rapids  of  the  "Grand 
Disciharge"  of  the  Saguenay,  in  the  com- 
paratively untrodden  wilds  into  which  no 
steamer  can  penetrate,  and  tracing  the  dark 
waters  up  to  their  source  in  Lake  St.  John. 
The  swarthy  good-humored  boatmen  were 
eagerly  questioned  and  cross-questioned  by 
the  three  young  men,  till  it  became  clear,  to 


5ouu  the  llivct  to  the  ;^ca. 


283 


the  observant  Kate,  at  least,  tliat  tliey 
were  planning  some  private  excursion  of 
their  own,  not  in  the  original  prog'raunne  of 
their  party,  thongli  at  present  they  all  ol)- 
served  an  obstinate  silence  as  to  any  such 
idea. 

Meantime,  they  all  sat  dreamily  w\atching 
the  long  procession  of  headland,  rock,  and 
hill, — a  silver  thread  of  cascade  occasion- 
ally trickling  down  the  dark  precipices,  won- 
dering at  the  variety  and  effect  pi'oduced 
with  such  apparent  sameness  of  material, 
lint,  behold!  a  great  grey  Titan  looms  up  be- 
hind a  distant  headland,  seeming  to  i)ierce 
the  sky ;  and  the  passengers,  Pjiglisli, 
American  and  Canadian,  begin  to  crowd 
the  forward  deck,  with  eager  outlook.  A 
little  farther,  and  the  vast  breadth  and 
height  of  Cape  Eternity  uprears  its  mighty 
mass  overhead, — its  summit  seeming  lost  in 
the  sky,  across  which  great  clouds  are  rai)i<lly 
drii'ting.  i\[ay  thought  it  had  looked  even 
grander  in  the  moonlight,  which  seemed  to 
expand  it  into  infinity;  but  Hugh  and  Mr. 
Winthrop  declared  tliat  to  them  it  was  no 
less  im[)osing  in  the  clea."  light  of  day, 
which   gave   it  the   strength    and  force  of 


•1 
I 

ill 


234        Haivn  the  ^ivff  ta  the  ^(a. 


|ji 


reality.  Scarcely  had  they  ceased  gazing  m 
fascination  at  its  mighty  mass,  when  Kate, 
pointing  triumphantly  before  them,  drew 
their  attention  to  the  still  grander  headland, 
the  mighty  triple  profile  of  Cape  Trinity. 
And  now,  just  above  their  heads,  as  it  seemed, 
that  sublime  rock  was  unfolding  its  triple 
unity,  both  vertical  and  lateral,  each  way 
'l";^Mucd  into  three  distinct  heads;  a  far  more 
iui^iressive  individuality,  they  all  agreed, 
than  J  "  ;;i:-;ter  cape.  Again  came  that  curi- 
oc.;.%  '.p  ■  illusion  of  the  great  precipice 
towering  uniaediately  overhead  in  close  prox- 
imity to  the  boat, — a  delusion  only  dispelled 
with  much  difficulty  after  seeing  that  the 
pebbles  wliich  the  passengers  amused  them- 
selves by  throwing  at  it,  fell  invariably  a 
long  way  short  of  their  aim.  And  a  feeling 
of  soul-subduing  awe  stole  over  May,  as  she 
threw  back  her  head,  and  tried  to  scan  the 
entire  face  of  those  lofty  summits  which 
seemed  to  rear  their  grey,  weather-beaten 
heads  into  the  very  empyrean  !  Here  and 
there,  a  stray  bit  of  vegetation  clung  with 
difficulty  to  a  cleft  in  the  rock,  seeming  to 
emphasize  its  ruggedness  and  stern  majesty. 
But,  as  Hugh  observed,  and  all  agreed,  the 


Dumt  the  ^ivcr  to  the  ^t\u 


235 


white  statue  of  tlie  Virgin,  placed,  by  Ro- 
man Catholic  piety,  in  a  niche  of  the  ciair 
seemed  an  impertinence,  even  fi'om  the 
broadest  point  of  view,  for  surely  tliey  felt 
that  grand  JVIount  Iloreb,  symbol  of  Divine 
Majesty,  should  have  been  profaned  by  no 
mortal  image.  Nevertheless,  when  the 
steamer  slackened  speed,  just  under  the 
precipice,  and  the  sailors  in  solemn  cadence 
chanted  an  "  Ave  Maria,"  there  was  a  pa- 
thetic earnestness  and  an  antique,  old-world 
air  about  the  proceeding  which  was  very 
impressive.  What  ITugli  himself  thought 
of  the  grand,  wonderful  bit  of  nature's  ar- 
chitecture, found  its  way  to  paper  in  the 
course  of  the  afternoon,  the  lines  taking 
shape  in  his  mind  as  the  too  swiftly  reced- 
ing lines  of  Cape  Trinity  faded  away  into 
dim  remoteness,  when  it  seemed  to  all  the 
party  tliat  the  central  figure,  the  chief  in- 
terest of  the  Saguenay,  had  passed  out  of 
the  scene.  And,  after  the  long  strain  of 
attention, — the  effort  to  lose  none  of  the 
ever-changing  grandeur  of  the  shifting 
panorama, — it  was  almost  a  relief  when  the 
showery  clouds  that  had  gathered  so 
grandly    about    Cape     Trinity,     deepened 


ii 


230         gatt'u  the  "^sxvtt  tcr  the  ^ca. 

into  a  leaden  grey ;  and  mist  and  rain 
began  to  blot  ont  all  save  tlie  nearest 
hills.  As  tlioy  sat  watcliing  in  soinewliat 
soni])re  mood  the  silent  procession  of  mist- 
laden  hills,  with  here  and  there  a  wliite 
thread  of  waterfall  trickling  down  tlieir 
sides,  and  the  wliite  whales  and  porpoises 
splashing  in  the  dark  stream  below, — the 
only  sign  of  life  in  all  the  great  solitude, 
while  an  occasional  gleam  of  sunshine, 
from  an  opening  cloud,  threw  a  golden 
gleam  to  relieve  the  stern  aspect  of  the 
scene,  Hugh  was  called  on  for  a  reading 
from  a  volume  into  which  he  had  been  ([[[)-. 
ping  during  the  day.  It  Avas  the  copy  of 
Charles  Sangster's  poems,  which  he  had 
procured  in  JVIontreal,  and  he  willingly  gave 
them  a  few  stanzas  from  the  poet's  descrii)- 
tion  of  the  Saguenay  ; — the  following  lines, 
in  particular,  seeming  to  express  the  very 
spirit  of  the  scenery  about  them  : — 

"  111  goldiMi  voluiuos  rolls  the  blossod  light 

AlouLf  llic  sUMMJe  luouiitiuns.     I'ilo  on  pile 

Tlio  ijjraiiite  masses  rise  lo  left  and  right; — 

]>:il(l,  stately  bluifs  that  never  -wear  a  smile; 

Wliei-e  vegetation  fails  to  reconeile 

The  parelied  shrubbery  and  stunted  trees 

To  the  stern  mercies  of  th(>  flinty  soil. 

And  we  must  pass  a  thousand  bluffs  like  tliese, 

Within  whose  breasts  are  locked  a  myriad  mysteries. 


Joivtt  the  fsxm  to  the  ^c«-         237 


"  Drcainiii.iij  of  tlic  old  years,  bcfoic  they  rose, 
'rriiiinpliaiit  from  tlit;  (hep,  whose  watt-rs  rolled 
Above  their  solemn  and  unknown  rejm.se; 
Drcaminij  of  that.  ItriLi;hl  morning,  when,  of  old, 
JJeyond  the  red  man's  memory,  they  told 
Tlie  secrets  of  the  Aj^es  to  the  sun, 
That  smiled  upon  them  fi'om  his  tluono  of  cold. 
Dreaming  of  the  bright  slurs  ;ind  iovinif  moon, 
That  lir.>t  shone  on  them  from  the  night's  in 


nipres- 


sive  noon: 


"  — Dreamini^  of  the  long  ag(!S  that  have  i>assed 

Since  then,  und  with  tlusm  that  diminished  race 

Whose  l»irclien  lle(!t,s  those;  inky  waters  glass(!d, 

As  tliey  swept  o'er  them  with  the  wind's  swift  pace. 

Of  tlieir  wild  legends  scarce  I'cmMins  a  trace; 

'I'hon  hold'^t  the;  myriad  secn^ts  in  thy  brain, 

Oh  stattdy  blulfsl  as  well  seek  to  elface 

The  liglit  of  tln^  l)less'd  stars,  as  to  obtain 

From  thy  sealed,  granite  lips,  tradition  or  refrain  !  " 

"That  is  striking  poetry,"  said  Mr.  Win- 
tlirop.  "  Tlit3  author  deserves  to  l)e  better 
known  I  Uut  th(^  wild  legends  of  the  past 
have  not  entirely  passed  away.  Now  and 
then,  one  eonies  across  an  old  legend  or  story 
among  a  set  of  fellows  like  our  voi/cif/eur 
friends  there." 

"  Yes,"  said  Hugh, "  that  is  one  reason  why 
I  should  like  to  ex[)lore  the  wilds  about 
Lnkc  St.  John  !  I  think  one  might  pick  up 
from  our  guides  some  old  stories  that  would 
be  interesting.  But  I  was  reading,  this  morn- 
ing, a  pathetic  little  legend  which  is  said 


238  JouM  the  lUtcf  to  tl«C  j!Ci(. 


4» 


to  be  still  cherished  among  the  IMontagnais 
Iiidiaiis,  coiiceriiiug  one  of  the  pious  Jesuit 
Fathers,  who  was  wont  long  ago  to  minister 
in  that  liLtlegrey  church  at  Tadousac." 

"  Oh,  do  tell  it  to  us !  "  said  Kate  and  Nel- 
lie, in  a  breath ;  and  Hugh  readily  complied, 
telbng  the  tale,  in  substance  as  follows: 

"  One  of  the  most  benignant  and  beloved 
of  these  pioneer  missionaries  was  Pere  La 
IJrosse,  the  last  of  the  old  Jesuit  Fathers  of 
Tadousac,  and  the  story  of  his  'Passing' 
reads  almost  like  a  French-Indian  version  of 
the  '  Passing  of  Arthur.'  Strange,  how  that 
wistful,  pathetic  interest,  clustering  round 
the  death  of  the  good  and  gentle  and  strong, 
crops  up  everywhere,  among  all  sorts  and 
conditions  of  men ! 

"  Well,  the  story  runs,  that,  at  the  close  of 
an  April  day,  spent  as  usual  in  fulfilling 
the  duties  of  his  pastoral  office  among  his 
Indian  converts,  the  venerable  Father  had 
spent  the  evening  in  cheerful  converse  with 
some  of  the  French  officers  of  the  post.  As 
he  rose  to  leave  them,  to  their  amazement  he 
solemnly  bade  them  a  last  adieu,  telling  them 
that,  at  midnight,  he  would  be  a  corpse, 
and  at  that  hour  the  chapel  bell  would  toll 


ei       > 


Jawtt  the  JUvcv  to  the  J$c«. 


239 


for  his  passing  soul.  lie  charged  them  not 
to  touch  his  body,  but  to  go  at  once  to  the 
lower  end  of  the  He  aux  Coudres,  wliich, 
you  know,  we  passed  yesterday,  nuniy  miles 
up  the  St.  Lawrence,  and  bring  tlience  ]Mes- 
sire  Compain,  wliom  they  would  lind  await- 
ing tliem,  and  who  would  wrap  liim  in  his 
shroud  and  lay  him  in  his  grave.  Tliey 
were  to  carry  out  his  bidding,  regardless  of 
what  the  weather  might  be,  and  he  would 
answer  for  their  safety.  Tlie  astonished  and 
awe-stricken  party  of  rough  traders  and  In- 
dians kept  anxious  vigil,  till,  at  midniglit, 
the  chapel  bell  began  to  toll.  Startled  by 
the  solenm  sound  at  dead  of  night,  they  all 
rushed  tremblingly  into  the  church.  There, 
as  he  had  foretold,  they  found  Pere  La  Brosse, 
lying  prostrate  before  the  altar,  liis  hands 
joined  in  prayer,  and  the  seal  of  deatli  on  his 
tranquil  face.  With  awe-struck  sorrow,  they 
watched  for  dawn,  that  they  might  fulfil 
the  father's  last  command.  With  sunrise, 
arose  an  April  gale,  but  trusting  to  the  [)rom- 
ise  of  one  who  had  won  their  unfaltering 
trust,  four  brave  men  set  out  on  their  ap- 
pointed errand,  in  a  fragile  canoe,  breasting 
the  big   rolling    waves,    which,   however, 


-no         Joaw  the  JUvcv  to  the  ^ea. 


socined  to  n[)L!U  a  pussiij^e  for  the  fniil  liaik, 
and,  ill  a  inai'VL'llously  short  time,  tliey  liii'' 
reiiehed  He  auxC'oudres;  and  there,  as  IVi. 
La  JJrosse  had  .said,  sat  Tc-re  Conipain  on 
tiie  roeks,  hreviary  in  hand,  ready  to  aeeoni- 
piiny  them  haek  to  do  llie  hist  offices  for  the 
dead.  lie,  too,  had  re(;eived  a  mysterious 
warning.  The  niglit  ht^fore,  his  eliai)el  hell 
had  tolled  at  midni<^ht  foi'  a  i)assin.i^  soul, 
and  a  voice  had  told  him  what  had  happened 
and  what  he  was  ex[)ected  to  do.  And  it 
said,  mor(M)ver,  that  in  all  the  Afissions  where 
Pere  La  l>rosse  had  served  the  chapel  bell 
tolled  at  the  moment  of  his  death." 

"  Well !  "  exclaimed  Mr.  Winthiop,  "  that 
is  a  story  that  OKf//U  to  be  true,  bc/f  trovato, 
at  least,  jis  the  Italians  say,  if  we  only  had 
faith  enough.  One  could  almost  find  it  in 
one's  heart  to  believe  it  here,  in  these  wild 
solitudes,  even  in  this  degenerate,  sceptical 
age  !  " 

"  Xow,  Hugh,"  observed  Kate,  "  why 
shouldn't  t/ou  write  a  '  Mori  <7e  I^dra  Tai 
BroHse'^  (lla  Tennyson?  I'm  sure  it  would 
make  a  lovely  poem." 

"  Perhaps  he  will,  by  and  by,"  said  Flora,  a 
little  mischievously.    "  3Ieantime,  I  found  hi 


Jouu  the  iUvcv  ta  lUc  ^ca. 


lill 


|why 
lould 

|va,  ii 
lid  in 


n 


alxjolc  of  liis  tills  soiiiKd  oil  (';i|M/I'riiiity.  I 
was  sure  lie  was  composiii}^'  soiiu'lhiiij^-  of 
till!  kind!" 

''  Oh,  that's  not  fair  ! "  said  Ilu-h.  "  That's 
not  revised  yet 

IJut  there  was  an  nnaniinous  demand  for 
the  readiiij^  of  it,  and  nnder  protest,  Hugh 
allowed  Flora  to  read  it. 

"  Thou  W(';illi('r-beat(!ii  watchman,  ^rim  and  Rrcy, 
Towering  inajcstic,  with  thy  regal  brow, 
O'or  all  the  throngini^  hills  that  scorn  to  bow 
In  huinhh^  liomago,  near  and  far  away  ; — 
Even  thy  i^^rcat  consort  seems  to  own  tliy  sway, 
In  lier  calm  i^randcur,  scarce  less  grand  than  thou 
Kising,  star-crowned,  from  th    dai'k  woiid  below, 
So  lonely  in  thy  miglit  and  ni.* jfsty  ! 
Thy  rnjiged,  storm-scarred  forehead  to  the  l)last 
Thou  bar(!st, — all  unscreened  thy  Titan  form, 
I'adiant  in  sunset,  dark  in   winter  storm, 
So  thou  hast  stood,  through  countless  ages  past. 
What  (.'omes  or  goes,  it  matters  not  to  thee. 
Serene,  self-poised  in  triph;  unity  !" 

As  she  finished  readlny  the  lines,  a  rift  in 
the  breaking  eloiids  let  a  rich  gleam  of  sun- 
set through,  and  they  caught  a  brief  glimpse 
of  a  distant  lofty  summit,  probably  Cape 
Trinity,  glowing  out  in  crimson  glory,  hke 
a  great  garnet,  set  amid  the  grey  mountaui 

curves. 
16 


I 


1142         gown  the  J^ivcv  io  the  ^<a. 


Tliuy  till  wiitched  it  silently,  till  it  passed 
out  of  sig;lit  in  the  windings  of  the  stream. 
It  was  a  sight  to  carry  away  as  "  a  joy  for- 
ever,"— a  fitting  parting  gleam  of  the  gran- 
deur of  the  Saguenay. 

And  swiftly  it  all  fades  from  sight  as  the 
veil  of  twilight  lulls  once  more  about  them, 
softening  the  hard  outlines  of  tlie  iron  hills 
into  cloud-like  phantasms,  while  the  twink- 
ling lights  of  Tadousac  again  gleam  out 
from  the  shaggy  cliffs,  soon  again  to  be  left 
behind,  as  they  pass  out  of  the  rocky  cm- 
bouc/ufre,  under  tlie  starliglit,  into  the  wide 
reach  of  the  St.  Lawrence  and  cross  its  wide 
expanse  to  the  distant  shore,  where  they 
stop  at  length  at  the  long-stretching  pier  of 
Kiviere-du-Loup.  Tliis  time  they  disem- 
bark, and  are  soon  driving  rupidly  along 
the  two  mile  sweep  of  curving  road,  Avitli  a 
late  gibbous  moon  rising  above  the  ti'ces,  as 
they  approach  tlie  straggling  environs  of 
Fraserville.  They  are  speedily  instidled  in 
a  comfortable  little  French  inn,  with  a  plain 
but  comfortable  supper  before  them,  and  a 
lively  group  of  French  Canadians  chatter- 
ing gayly  around  them  in  their  rapid  patois. 
As  it  happens,  these  prove  to  be  a  party  of 


5ou-n  the  ?livcv  ta  the  .^ca.         2 13 


the 
icin, 
hills 
•iuk- 
oul 
[3  left 


musicians,  whose  imisie,  vocal  and  instru- 
nieiital,  and  gay  little  French  Canadian  songs 
serenade  them  till  irresistible  sleep  closes 
eyes  more  weary  with  sight-seeing  than  their 
owners  had  before  realized. 

Xo  one  was  up  very  early  next  morning, 
for  human  nature  cannot  stand  perpetual 
motion.  But,  as  the  day  was  fine,  though 
cool,  a  carriage  was  ordered  innnediately 
after  breakfast  and  the  whole  party  were 
once  more  oi  route^  driving  over  a  straight 
smooth  road  to  the  old  IJiviere-du-TiOup,  and 
thence  to  the  noble  waterfall,  whose  wild 
I)icturesqae  beauty  seems  close  to  the  little 
town. 

Leaving  the  carriages,  they  all  walked  on 
by  a  winding  path,  till  they  came  to  a  grassy 
spur  of  the  slo[»e,  jutting  out,  as  it  seemed, 
rather  more  than  half  down,  close  to  one 
side  of  the  fall.  Here,  though  they  could 
not  see  the  whole  extent  of  the  cascade,  they 
could  get  an  impressive  view  of  its  volume 
and  beauty,  as  it  came  thundering  down  the 
dark  grey  height,  clad  with  dusky  pines; 
so  that,  looking  up  to  the  ciest  of  foliage 
above,  it  seemed  to  come  thundering  down 
in  snowy  spray  and  foam,  out  of  the  very 


244         §oxv\\  the  ^ivct  to  the  ^tix. 

bosom  of  tlio  primeval  forest.  To  May  it 
seemed  almost  as  grand  as  iMoulmoreiK^y, 
though  far  short  of  it  in  heiglit.  And,  like 
JVIontmoreney,  it  vividly  brought  l)aek  the 
memory  of  ineomparable  Niagara.  The 
si)ell  of  the  falling  water, — "  falling  forever 
and  aye," — had  its  usual  infiuenee  on  her, 
and  she  sat  dreaming  there,  seareely  eon- 
scious  of  herself  or  the  flight  of  time,  while 
the  rest  of  the  party  wandered  about,  sur- 
veying the  waterfall  from  other  points  of 
view.  Hut  at  last  she  wasjiroused  from  her 
reverie  by  Hugh,  who  eame,  des[)atehed  by 
Kate,  in  (piest  of  her,  to  bring  her  down  to 
the  foot  of  the  Fall  where  the  others  were 
resting,  and  where  she  eould  see  it,  as  it  were, 
en  iNtisse. 

She  lingered  a  moment,  however,  reluetant 
to  leave  the  eharming  little  nook.  "  See!  " 
she  said  to  Hugh,  as  she  rose  to  aceompany 
him  down, — "look  at  those  (^xcpiisile  littU; 
harebells,  growing  so  peaeefully  out  of  that 
green  moss  under  the  very  si)ray  of  this 
rush  of  foaming  water." 

Hugh  smiled  as  he  looked  down  at  the 
fragile  llower,  eradled,  as  it  were,  in  the 
midst  of    the   turbulent  eonnuotion.      He 


Sowtt  the  %\\ux  to  the  ^ea.         245 


stooped  over  and  picked  two  of  tlie  droop- 
\n^  blossoms  carefully,  handing  one  to  May, 
wliile  he  studied  tlie  oilier,  in  its  iri'aceful. 


i> 


delicate  beauty.    "  It  is  an  euilKxlied  poem 
he  exclaimed,  as  they  turned  slowy  away. 

"Then,  won't  yon  write  out  the  po(nn  it 
embodies,  for  the  rest  of  us  to  r(>ad?"  said 
IVlay,  somewhat  timidly,  and  surprised  at 
her  own  temerity. 

"  If  I  can,  I  will,"  he  replied,  frankly.  "  It 
doesn't  idways  follow,  luH-ause  one  mny  .sw^ 
an  embodied  poem,  that  one  can  translate 
it  into  verse !  " 

At  the  foot  of  the  Falls,  they  all  sat  for 
an  hour  or  two,  enjoying  thecom[)rehensive, 
though  somewhat  less  imi)ressive  view  of 
llu;  whole  fall,  as  it  came  rushing  down  the 
(lark  gorge,],  sheets  of  silvcuy  foam  and 
clouds  of  snowy  spray.  And  here,  in  a 
grassy  nook,  under  some  trcH's,  they  sat  for 
some  time  watching  the  Falls,  Flora  declar- 
ing that  it  reminded  her  of  some  of  their 
finest  Scottish  waterfalls  and  also  of  one  or 
two  she  had  seen  in  Switzcn'land.  IJefon; 
they  left  their  quiet  halting  place,  Hugh, 
who  had  hvv.u  sitting  very  silent  for  some 
time,  handed  (piietly  to  May,  a  leaf  from  his 


246         §tfmx  iht  3\vtx  to  the  ^tn. 


note-book,  on  which,  with  much  satisfaction, 
she  read  the  following  lines  : — 

"^VTiere  the  great,  thundering  cataract  tosses  high 
Its  crest  of  foam,  'mid  thunders  deep  and  dread, 
A  tiny  harebell,  from  its  mossy  bed, 
.Smiles,  s-i^ftly  blue,  to  the  blue  summer  sky, 
And  the  great  roaring  flood  that  rages  by, 
In  sheets  of  foam  on  the  grey  rocks  outspread 
But  sheds  a  tender  dew  upon  its  head. 
— Emblem  of  hearts  whose  gentle  purity. 
Seeks  only  heaven  in  this  rude  earth  of  ours  ; 
Dwelling  in  safety  'mid  the  roar  and  din 
Of  human  passion,  as  in  sheltered  bowers; 
Growing  in  beauty,  'mid  turmoil  and  sin, 
— Keeping  the  hue  of  heaven,  like  the  flowers, 
Because  they  keep  the  hue  of  heaven  within!" 

"  Oh,"  exclaimed  May,  looking  up  from  its 
perusal,  "  t/iui  is  almost  just  what  I  was 
thinking  about  it,  myself,  only  I  couldn't  put 
it  into  words  like  that!  " 

"I'm  glad  I  happened  to  catch  your 
thought,"  he  re[)lied.  "  Kec'[)  the  lines  for 
yourself,  if  you  care  for  them,  in  memory  of 
this  pleasant  day." 

"  We've  had  so  many  pleasant  days !  " 
said  May, — wistfully, — for  she  felt  tliat  they 
were  fast  drawing  to  a  close.  And  if  the 
young  men  really  took  that  canoe  trip  up 


goivu  the  iUvci'  tu  the  ^tiu  '247 


the  Saguenay,  their  party  would  be  divided 
during  the  sojourn  at  Murray  IJay, — their 
hist  halting  place.  I>ut  she  felt  that  she 
could  never  lose  the  memory  of  that  delight- 
ful journey,  and  all  its  enjoyments. 

After  going  hack  to  the  hotel  for  an  early 
dinner,  they  ordered  the  carriages  again  and 
drove  in  the  soft  afternoon  sunshine, — now 
beginning  to  assume  a  slightly  autumnal 
air,  over  the  low,  level  stretch  of  sandy  road, 
leading  through  skirting  spruce  and  cedar, 
to  the  long  straggling  settlement  of  Cacouna, 
mainly  composed  of  summer  cottages,  with 
its  hotels  and  little  church.  i\Iost  of  the 
cottages  are  scattered  along  a  high  sloping 
bank,  just  above  the  sea-like  river,  where 
the  bathing,  albeit  lacking  the  surf,  is  al- 
most as  good  as  in  the  open  sea.  The  Arm- 
strongs had  friends  residing  in  Cacouna  for 
the  summer,  and  the  party  drove  directly 
to  their  cottage,  where  they  met  witli  a  most 
cordial  welcome,  were  shown  all  the  sights 
of  the  vicinity,  and  finally  regaled  with 
"  afternoon  tea "  on  the  veranda,  from 
whence  tliey  enjoyi^l  one  of  the  grand  sun- 
sets for  which  Cacouna  is  famous,  the  bold 
hills  on  the  north  shore,  here  ethereali/.ed  Ijy 


248         Jjottn  the  gii'tt  to  tht  ^ta. 


J» 


distance, — reflectiiii^  the  glory  of  the  rich 
sunset  slcy  in  tlie  most  exquisite  tones  of 
purple  and  rose. 

Next  morning,  the  little  party  took  an 
early  train  from  lUviere-du-Loup,  on  the  In- 
tercolonial IJailway,  to  see  the  remainder  of 
the  river  shore  as  far  as  Bic,  where  the  <4nlf 
may  almost  be  said  to  begin,  and  the  river 
end.  It  was  a  charming  ride  along  the  high 
land  a  little  back  from  the  river,  yet  still 
occasionally  in  sight  of  it,  with  the  grjind 
hills  of  tJie  north  shore  looking  cloudlike 
and  remote,  as  they  came  into  view  of  the 
beautiful  bay  of  Bic,  surrounded  l)y  its 
noble  hills,  with  its  picturesque  coves,  its 
level  beach,  and  its  wide  flats,  studded  witli 
black  rocks.  Away  in  the  distance,  beyond 
the  tall  bluffs  which  guard  the  mouth  of  the 
bay,  and  the  ishuKls  which  also  protect  its 
harbor,  lay  the  deep  blue  wooded  island  of 
Bic,  and  beyond  that,  again,  the  far  distant 
north  shore,  looking  like  a  cloud  of  mist  on 
the  horizon.  Here  thej^  had  to  stop,  for, 
beycmd  that,  the  railway  leaves  tlie  river  to 
wind  its  way  through  the  ravines  of  ]\rotis, 
and  then  over  the  hills  to  tlic  famous  vnlley 
of  tile  Matapedia,  whose  charms,  fascinating 


Joivu  the  $\ixx\'  to  the  ^cix,         24i) 


niul 

like 

the 

its 

,  its 

,vith 

01  ul 

the 

t  its 

tant 
t  on 
for, 
n-  to 
ais, 
illey 
Ltiim- 


as  tliey  are,  were  not  for  the  travelers — on 
this  journey  at  least.  They  spent  a  few 
houis  [)leasantly  at  J5ic,  stroUhig  through 
its  villa^-e,  set  on  a  plateau  high  al)ove  the 
beach,  or  wandering  over  tlie  flats,  where 
two  rivers  sluggishly  lind  the  end  of  their 
journey,  and  gathering  seaweeds  among  the 
little  pools  and  rocks,  which  renunded  the 
Scotch  cousins  so  strongly  of  their  own  sea- 
side home.  They  climbed  up  some  of  the 
gentler  slopes  of  the  high  rugged  hills,  to 
get  a  still  wider  view,  and  to  feel  the  bracing 
salt  breath  of  the  sea  come  sweeping  up  the 
river,  while  Kate  descril)ed  the  beauties  of 
Gaspu,  peninsula  and  basin,  and  the  wonder- 
ful l*ercc  rock,  which  she  had  once  visited 
on  a  voyage  down  the  Gulf;  and  jNIr.  Win- 
throp  told  them  of  ji  grim  old  tradition  of 
the  island  of  Uic, — of  a  sort  of  Indian  edition 
of  the  massacre  of  Glencoe,  when  a  brancli 
of  the  fierce  Iroquois  had  caught  a  compara- 
tively helpless  band  of  jMicmacs  with  many 
women  and  children,  in  a  cjive,  and  had 
smoked  tliem  out,  to  meet  death  if  th(iy 
escaped  it  within. 

But  they  had  now  reached  tlie  eastei'U- 
most  limit  of  their  progress — still  leaving, 


250        §0mx  iU  Ilim  U  m  ^m. 

as  Hugh  said,  some  "Yarrow  unvisited." 
They  took  tlie  returning  afternoon  train 
back  to  Itivicre-du-Loup,  for  their  course 
must  now  be  "  Wcstward-IIo !  "  At  Rivi6re- 
du-Loup,  they  waited  for  tlie  Saguenay  boat, 
and  re-embarked  for  JMurray  Bay,  whicli 
they  reached  about  midnight,  landing  at  the 
high  pier  under  tlie  pale  ghostly  light  of  the 
waning  moon,  which  gave  a  strange  unreal 
look  to  the  houses  on  the  shore,  and  espe- 
cially to  the  strjingely  shapen  rock,  which, 
rising  solitary  near  the  point,  gives  it  its 
name  of  "  Point  Au  Pic  "  (or  Pique).  There 
were  an  abundance  of  caliches  in  waiting, 
and  the  travellers  distributed  themselves 
among  these,  and  were  soon  driven  along  the 
straggling  village  street  to  their  destination, 
— the  "  Central  Hotel,"  chosen  by  Kate  on 
account  of  its  delightful  view.  But  the 
"  Central "  was  too  full  for  so  large  a  party, 
as  the  landlord  declared  with  many  regrets, 
— so  the  ladies  were  accommodated  very 
comfortably  at  the  "Warren  House,  next 
door,  while  the  young  men  were  put  up 
temporarily  at  the  "  Central "  as  they  in- 
tended leaving  on  their  canoe  trip  very  early 
in  the  week. 


50UU  the  llivcv  U  the  ^fiu         251 


May  had  been  feeling  that,  since  this  trip 
began,  she  liad  liad  so  many  deliglitful  im- 
pressions, that  she  could  scarcely  find  room 
for  any  more.  But  the  first  sight  of  the 
grand  vista  of  no])le  hills  that  enfold  Mur- 
ray ]>ay,  as  it  were,  in  tlieir  embrace,  gleam- 
ing out  under  snowy  mists,  in  the  fair 
breezy  morning,  made  her  feel  that  she  had 
by  no  means  lost  the  receptive  power,  and 
that  she  hiid  much  to  see  and  admire  yet. 
It  was  a  peaceful  Sunday  morning,  and  a 
Sabbath  rest  seemed  to  enwrap  the  blue  hills 
that  encompassed  the  long  bay,  receding  in 
lovely  curves  and  peaks  behind  each  other, 
till  they  were  lost  in  a  soft  vagueness  of 
distance.  Just  about  the  middle  of  the  long- 
curve  of  the  bay,  and  showing  whitely 
against  a  background  of  deep  green  woods, 
a  white  church  stood  out  as  a  sort  of  centre 
to  the  little  brown  French  village  that  clus- 
tered about  it  on  both  sides  of  the  ]\[urray 
River.  Below  the  bridge,  stretched  long 
brown  sands  with  a  strip  of  blue  watcu*  in 
the  middle,  ;uid  a  three-masted  vessel  lying 
stranded  by  the  receding  tide  ; — while  just 
across  the  bay,  narrowed  by  the  low  tide, 
rose  the  long  bold  headland  of  Cap  li  1' Aigle, 


252         gouu  the  ^'mv  U  the  ^ciu 

jutting  fur  out  into  the  wide  blue  expanse 
of  the  St.  Lawrence,  bounded  on  the  south- 
ern sliore  by  a  wavy  line  of  soft  blue  and 
puri»le  hills,  glistening  with  silvery  specks, 
which  were,  in  reality,  distant  French  vil- 
lages. Tt  was  a  feast  to  the  eye,  a  refresh- 
ing to  tlie  whole  being,  simply  to  sit  there 
and  take  in  the  lovely  vista.  INIay,  for  one, 
was  glad  tliat  it  was  Sunday,  and  that, 
therefore,  there  could  be  no  excursions,  but 
that  she  could  sit  quietly  there  as  long  as 
she  liked, — dreaming  or  thinking,  or  readhig 
a  little  of  the  old  Scripture  poetry  about  the 
"Everlasting  hills;"  —  but  ever  and  anon 
looking  up  to  see  the  realization  of  words 
which  had  formerly  left  on  her  mind  a  rather 
vague  impression  of  their  meaning.  Noth- 
ing which  she  had  seen  seemed  to  her  so 
satisfying  to  her  ideal  of  beauty.  Niagani 
had  its  own  solitary  overpowering  grandeur, 
but  no  surrounding  scenery.  The  Saguenay 
hills  were  too  stern  in  their  solemn  splen- 
dor. At  Quebec,  the  view  seemed  almost 
too  wide,  too  complex;  but  this  charming 
valley,  with  its  l)rown-beached  blue  bay, 
nestling  amongst  these  richly  wooded  hills, 
with  rank  after  rank  of  mountain  tops, — as 


< 


|loa*u  the  Jlivcr  ta  the  ^ca. 


253 


deur, 
leniiy 
plen- 
most 
ming 
bay, 
hills, 
i. — -as 


they  seemed  to  her,  fiidinj^  jiway  into  the 
distant  ])hie,  seemed  to  have  all  the  unity 
and  beauty  of  a  well-composed  picture,  and 
to  satisfy  her  imagination  without  her 
knowing  why.  Flora  was  in  an  ecstasy. 
The  scene  reminded  her  strongly  of  some 
of  her  own  Highland  glens;  and  Hugh  and 
she  were  soon  eagerly  comparing  it  with 
one  after  another  of  their  favorite  resorts, 
— tracing  its  points  both  of  resemblance  and 
of  dissimilarity. 

The  young  men  of  the  party  liad  taken 
an  early  l)atli,  and  pronounced  the  water 
very  bracing  indeed,  but  also  decidedly 
cold — too  cold,  they  thought,  for  the  girls 
to  attempt;  notwithstanding  which,  how- 
ever, Kate  and  Flora  announced  their  inten- 
tion of  trying  it  next  day.  At  eleven  they 
all  went  to  church  at  a  neat  little  chapel 
close  by,  built  for  the  use  of  the  l*rotestant 
visitors,  and  used  alternately  for  an  Episco- 
palian and  a  Presbyterian  service,  an  in- 
stance of  brotherly  unity  which  might  be 
hideflnitely  extended.  To  Flora's  great  sat- 
isfaction, (for  she  was  a  staunch  little  Scot- 
tish church  woman,)  the  service  that  day 
happened  to  be  the  Presbyterian  one — the 


25i         gowtt  the  Jtlivfv  tu  the  ^ti\. 


first  time,  slie  observed,  tliiit  she  had  had 
tlie  pleasure  of  attending  her  own  service 
since  she  liad  left  her  native  land.  To  Hugh 
it  did  not  matter,  she  observed,  for  he  liked 
one  just  as  well  as  another,  to  which  he  re- 
plied that  he  was  by  no  means  so  superior 
to  the  power  of  association,  which  must,  in 
most  cases,  after  all,  determine  our  ecclesi- 
astical preferences. 

As  there  was  no  evening  service,  an  even- 
ing stroll  in  Nature's  great  temple  around 
them  was  proposed  instead,  for  which  the 
young  people  were  ready  enough  after  the 
long,  quiet  day  of  rest.  Mrs.  Sandford,  who 
had  not  yet  recovered  from  the  fatigue  of 
so  incessant  travelUng,  preferring  to  sit  on 
the  veranda  with  her  book, — the  latter 
taking  the  place  of  her  knitting-needles, 
whicli  lately  had  had  an  unusual  respite. 
Nellie  Armstrong,  however,  who  had  a  head- 
ache, elected  to  stay  with  her,  so  the  rest 
started,  perhaps  all  the  more  satisfied, ' 
ing  off  naturally — Mr.  Winthro]  ' 
with.  Kate;  Jack  Armstrong  a\  .  hi\  , 
while  Hugh  and  May  were  left  as  iiHwitaole 
companions.  May,  as  on  some  similar  <  '*^a- 
sions,  felt  at  first  slightly  uncomfortable ; 


5ou«  the  Jlivcr  to  the  ^cii. 


255 


but  this  f(3cliiij^  soon  woro  olf,  for  Hugh  and 
she  hud  become  excellent  conimdes,  and 
now  found  numy  subjects  for  conversation  ; 
and  she  felt  that  he  had  by  this  time  ac- 
cepted Ml'.  Winthrop  as  a  permanent  factoi* 
in  the  situation,  and  was  determined  to 
make  the  best  of  it.  And  May  in  her  heart 
esteemed  him  idl  the  more  for  the  clieerfnl- 
ness  with  which  he  had  adapted  himself  to 
the  inevitable! 

They  walked,  by  a  rambling  footpath, 
along  the  sandy,  reedy  shore  of  the  bay,  un- 
til they  had  at  length  to  betake  themselves 
to  the  ordinary  road,  striking  it  close  to  a 
I^icturesque  old  mill,  with  a  little  waterfall 
plashhig  over  the  moss-grown  old  water- 
wheel,  just  as  she  had  so  often  seen  it  hi 
pictures  of  English  scenery.  They  reached 
the  French  village  of  Murray  Bay,  and 
passed  close  to  tlie  white  church  which  had 
yiade  the  centre  of  the  picture  in  the  dis- 
tance, and  the  pretty  little  I*reshytb'e^  with 
its  shady  garden-walks  overlooking  the 
river,  on  one  of  which  May  discerned  a 
black-cassocked  figure,  in  whom  she  imme- 
diately conjured  up  a  modern  Pere  La 
Brosse.     Then  on,   past  the  little  brown 


iiijci         Jotttt  tht  'Sivn  to  ihc  ^oa. 


4* 


French  lioases,  with  their  steep  roofs  and 
baleonies,  iiiid  t''ly,  if  hare,  extei'iors, — each 
one  apparently  pv^ssessing-  its  great  wooden 
cupboard,  and  large  box  stove  for  the  cold 
winter  days.  Crossing  the  bridge  over  the 
Murray,  from  which  there  was  a  lovely 
view  up  the  valley,  into  the  heart  of  the 
hills,  they  held  on  their  way  U})  the  wooded 
slope  beyond,  past  a  little  memorial  chapel 
under  the  shadowing  pines,  which  inter- 
ested the  girls  so  nuicli  that  they  declared 
they  must  get  the  key  and  see  the  interior 
some  day;  anu  then  onward  l)y  an  open, 
breezy  bit  of  road,  skirting  on  one  side  un- 
dulating woods,  gilded  by  slanting  sunlight, 
and  on  the  other  alfording  glimpses  of  pleas- 
ant manorial  residences  between  them  and 
the  river.  And  then  thev  came  out  on  the 
high  table-land  of  the  "  (  Wy),"  from  whence 
they  could  see  the  wide  river  ex[)a?ise,  now 
taking  on  soft  hues  of  rose,  and  purple,  and 
opal,  and  the  far  distant  hills  beyond,  also 
glorified  by  the  sunset. 

But  May's  steps  had  begun  to  flag  a  lit- 
tle, and  her  cheek  to  grow  rather  pale,  and 
Hugh  sfiid  that  he  was  sure  she  was  tired, 
and  proposed  that  they  should  go  'lo  farther, 


^omx  the  otUvcr  U  the  ^ca. 


25' 


but  take  Ji  rest  until  tlic  others  returned. 
May  looked  rathtjr  wistfully  at  Kate  and 
P'loni,  still  ste])[)in<;'  on,  evidently  unwc;;- 
ried.  IJiit  idtliough  niueh  stron^'er  than 
when  she  hiid  left  home,  ^hiy  was  not  so 
strong,  yet,  as  the  other  two,  and  it  \\as  of 
no  use  to  pretend  thiit  she  was  not  very 
Lired. 

"Let  us  walk  baek  to  that  pine-crested 
blutr,"  s;d(l  Hugh.  "There  we  can  sit  (piite 
comfortably  till  the  others  eome  baek." 

They  strolled  back  very  slowly, and  it  oc- 
curred to  ^lay,  cl  j)r(^j>()s  of  ]\('v  own  fatigue, 
how^  mueh  more  Hugh  could  stand  than  he 
could  have  done  a  month  ago  ;  imd  how  sel- 
dom even  "Auntl]ella"  now  worried  him 
willi  well-meant  exhortations  to  take  extra 
care.  The  outdoor  life  of  the  past  weeks 
had  certainly  done  wond(;rs  for  this  sun- 
Imrnt,  active  young  man,  with  elastic  step 
and  iirm  tread,  who  seemed  so  dilferent  ii 
being  from  the  pale  and  som(!what  languid 
stranger  to  whom  she  had  been  first  intro- 
duced. Ihit  she  soon  forgot  everything  else 
in  the  fair  scene  that  lay  at  their  feel,  half 
screened  by  the  pine  bougiis  that  drooped 
above  them ;  for  iiu  fairer  view  had  greeted 
17 


258         §0mx  the  llivcv  tu  the  ^e«. 


her  during  the  whole  journey.  Opposite, 
iicross  the  hlue  hay  helow  them,  hiy  Point 
au  TMc,  with  its  pier  unci  its  nioninnental 
rock,  its  struggling  cottages,  and  the  long, 
hilly,  wooded  ridge  that  swept  I'ound  the 
corner  of  the  hay  on  the  other  side.  To 
their  left  lay  the  hroad,  sunset-flushed 
river,  with  the  wavy  line  of  delicate  hues 
heyond  it.  The  two  watched  the  lovely 
glow  of  color  for  some  time  in  silence.  At 
last,  when  the  sce'.;e  was  swiftly  taking  on 
the  grayness  of  evening,  Hugh  remarked  : 

"How  many  lovely  evenhigs  we  have 
seen!  And  this  seems  almost  the  loveli(ist 
of  all." 

"Yes.  It  almost  makes  one  sad  to  think 
that  they  are  nearly  all  past," — she  replied, 
with  a  little  wistful  sip:h. 

"  I  don't  know  that  it  KlionhJ^  however,"  re- 
plied Hugh.  "  We  can't  lose  their  mem(.- 
ries  and  their  influences.  IVmt  seems  to  he- 
come  part  of  ourheing,  and  we  shall  always 
he  the  richer  for  it.  You  know  'a  thing  of 
heauty  is  a  joy  forever.'  Do  you  know,"  he 
contilnied,  after  a  pause,  as  May  did  not  re- 
ply, "this  great  river  on  Avhicli  we  have 
been  wandering  so  long,  seems  to  me  to  pre- 


§mn  the  Wixvtv  io  the  ^ea.         259 


re- 

iiys 

of 

he 

:  I'C- 

lave 

pre- 


sent a  very  fuir  parable  of  human  life.  It 
conies,  like  Wordsworth's  version  of  our 
infancy,  out  of  the  mysterious  majesty  of 
Niagara,  and  that  great  sea-like  lake.  Then 
it  has  its  trancpiil  svuuiy  morning  amid  tlie 
lovely  mazes  of  the  Thousand  Islands,which, 
like  ourselves,  it  seems  reluctant  to  forsake, 
for  the  more  work-a-day  rural  stretch  be- 
low. Then  comes  the  strenuous  time  of 
conflict, — the  '•  stiir)}i  and  dnuKj'*  period  of 
the  rapids,  and  then  the  calm  strength,  the 
gradual  expansion,  the  growing  dignity  of 
a  noble  life,  till  at  last  we  have  this  exqui- 
site sunset,  glorifying  a  river  that  is  swiftly 
passing  on,  to  lose  itself  in  tlie  great  '  silent 
sea,'  symbolizing  the  beauty  of  the  same  rich 
and  noble  life,  passing  away  from  its  old  fa- 
miliar shores  to  lose  itself  in  the  boundless- 
ness of  eternity." 

"  I  think  you  have  got  material  for  another 
poem  there,"  May  observed,  smiling,  though 
touched  by  the  emotion  which  seemed  to 
have  carried  him  on  unconsciously.  She  and 
Hugh  had  got  into  the  way  of  talking  about 
his  literary  endeavors.  There  was  another 
p;uise,  and  then  IFugh  looked  up  fi'om  his 
note-book,  into  which  he  had  been  looking. 


200 


§oxc\x  i\xt  JUvct  U  the  ^a. 


"  Do  you  recollect,"  he  asked,  "  a  lovely 
inorniiig  we  had,  just  after  comhig  to  Su- 
mach Lodiji-e  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  rei)lied  May,  promptly,  "  the  morn- 
ini;'  you  rowed  me  over  to  that  pretty  little 
island,  when  the  river  was  so  calm,  and  it 
all  looked  so  lovely." 

"  And  T  wrote  some  verses  there,  which  I 
should  like  to  read  to  you,  to  see  how  you 
like  them.     May  I?" 

INIay  looked  a  little  perplexed,  for  she  had 
not  forgotten  that  he  had  seemed  anxious 
that  she  should  7iot  see  them,  then,  and  with 
her  uUeJl.re  of  his  hopeless  passion  for  Kate 
— she  had  connected  those  verses  in  some 
way  with  that  imaginary  romance.  How- 
ever, she  listened  with  great  interest  to  his 
low  toned  reading  : 


In  gloaiii  of  pale,  translucent  amber  woke 

The  perfect  August  day, 
Tlirouf^h  rose-flushed  bars  of  pearl  and  opal  broke 

The  sunlight's  golden  way. 

Serenely  the  placid  river  seemed  to  flow 

In  tide  of  amethyst, 
Save  where  it  rippled  o'er  the  sands  below, 

And  granite  boulders  kissed ; 


SouMt  tUc  ^:tircr  ta  the  §ra.         i^Ol 


The  heavy  woodland  masses  hung  unsf  irred 


)ke 


In  lanifuorous  shuidjer  dec 


)') 


While,  from  their  green  reet.vsses,  one  small  bird 
Piped  to  her  brooil — asleep. 

The  clustering  lichens  wore  a  tenderer  tint, 

The  rocks  a  warmer  glow  ; 
The  emerald  dewdrops,  in  the  sunbeam's  glint, 

Gemmed  the  rich  moss  below. 

Oui  fairy  shallop  idly  stranded  lay, 

Half  mirrored  in  the  stream  ; 
Wild  roses  drooped  above  the  tiny  bay, 

Ethereal  as  a  dr<'am. 

You  sat  upon  your  rock,  a  woodland  queen, 

As  on  a  granilc!  throne  ; 
All  that  still  world  of  loveliness  serene 

Ilelil  but  us  twain  alone. 

Nay  !     IJut  there  seemed  anotiier  presence  there 

Beneath,  around,  al)ove  ; 
It  breathed  a  poem  through  the  crystal  air, 

Its  name  was  Love  !  " 

May  listcncfl  to  the  poem  with  a  ratlior 
bewildered  feelin<^:  it  was  so  different  from 
what  slie  had  expected.  IJitt  ji'ra(hially  the 
images  sngg-ested  by  it  took  possession  of 
her  mind  to  theoxohision  of  other  tl)on.^'hts, 
and  she  scarcely  noticed  the  closinj]^  lines,  in 
the  pleasure  which  it  gave  her  to  have  that 


202         gou'u  the  %V\vt\'  to  the  ^ea. 


lovely  nionrm.L;-  so  vividly  recalled.  Uiil 
Hugh  seemed  to  look  for  more  iliaii  ilie  [)l(!iis- 
\uv,  she  I'rjudcly  expressed.  lie  was  sihml 
for  a  few  moments,  then  sa,id  in  a  vei\y  low 
tone,  looking  straight  into  her  eyes,  "  I  thiidc 
that  what  brought  the  poem  was  my  hnding 
out,  then,  t/tat  Ilooed  i/o/.'.f'' 

]\[ay  was  utterly  taken  l)y  surprise,  whieh 
indeed,  overpowered  every  other  feeling. 
She  had  not  a  v/ord  to  say.  Hugh  saw  how 
unprepared  she  had  been  for  his  avowal. 
Pi'esently  she  managed  to  stammer  out,  "1 
thought  it  w;is — Kate ! " 

''  I  /i-/H)<o  you  did,  at  first,"  he  replied, 
"l)ut  I  thought  you  must  have  known  bet- 
ter, iioir/  I  haven't  acted  very  mu(;h  like 
a  jealous  lover,  have  I,  since  JMr.  Winthroi) 
appeared  on  the  scene?  And  any  one  could 
see  how  that  was  going  to  turn  out.  No, 
jMay,  Tm  sure  Fve  tried  to  make  yon  un- 
derstand !,  " 

I>ut  IMay  still  sat  silent,  in  a  sort  of  dazed 
bewilderment.  At  last,  the  ludicrous  aspect 
of  the  mistake  -all  her  sincere,  misplaced 
sympathy  with  Hugh  in  troubles  which 
were  entirely  of  her  own  imagining,  struck 
her  so  vividly  that  she  laughed  outright, 


Jjau'u  the  lliict  to  thr  ^ca.         '203 


bct- 
liko 

could 
No, 
Al- 


though her  liiiigh  hud  a  ralhor  hystericiil 
iiott3  ill  it,  and  sho  I'clL  thai  il  was  most  iii- 
ap[)i'opi'iato  to  so  serious  a  crisis.  l>ut  the 
personal  aspect  of  tlie  allair,  slie  could  not 
yet  at  all  take  in.  Ihii;-h  laughed  a  little, 
too,  readi  y;  hv.v  thoughts;  but  presently 
he  said  gravely  enough  :  "  Well,  .^lay,  now 
that  the  mistake  is  ch^ared  U[),  you're  not 
going  to  say  you  can't  care  lorme!  Why 
should  we  not  travel  down  the  riv(!r  of  life 
together?  I  mean  down  the  river  to  the 
sea," — he  added  pleadingly. 

"Oh,  jNIr.  Macnab,"  she  re[)lie(l,  at  last, 
"it  is  so  strange  to  me!  I  don't  j^oeni  able 
to  realize  it.  And  I  have  never  thought  of 
you  in  that  w^'iy." 

"Well,  dear,"  he  said,  gently,  "I  won't 
hurry  you;  but  you  and  I  are  very  good 
friends,  1  think,  wdiich  is  an  excellent  begin- 
ning, and  I  don't  see  why  we  couldn't  be 
something  more.  I>ut  take  plenty  of  time  to 
find  out !  I'll  promise  to  be  ])atieut  mean- 
time. Only,  as  I  am  going  away  to-morrow 
for  a  few  days,  T  wanted  to  try  my  fate,  at 
least,  and  make  sure  that  you  knew  my 
feelings  before  I  left — for  one  never  knows 
what  may  turn  up." 


204         Down  the  Jlivi'v  to  the  ^ca. 


i 


May's  face  changed  when  he  spoke  of  the 
approacliiiig  ])ai'ting,  which  was  only,  of 
course,  tlie  prehule  to  one  of  much  longer 
duration,  since  she  herself  nnist  return 
home  as  soon  .as  the  party  reached  Toronto, 
on  its  homeward  journey.  And  the  thought 
gave  her  a  sharp  pang  which  she  could  not 
ignore.  Still,  she  w.as  not  sorry  to  hear  the 
voices  of  the  others  not  far  off,  and  to  know 
that  this  rather  end)arrassing  tcte-ci-ttte  was 
nearly  over.  Hugh  detained  her  a  moment, 
however. 

"I  won't  press  you  any  farther  now,"  he 
said;  "only  promise  me  that  you  will  think 
about  it  while  I  am  gone,  and  perhaps  you 
may  be  able  to  answer  me  as  I  wish,  when 
I  come  back." 

May  readily  promised  this, — glad  to  have 
a  little  time  to  grow  familiar  with  an  idea 
which  had  seemed  so  strange  to  her  at  first. 
The  rest  of  the  walkw^as  very  quiet, — Tlugh 
talking  jibout  indifferent  things,  while  she 
found  it  difficult  to  keep  up  conversation 
at  all. 

Next  morning  it  was  decided  that,  as  it 
was  too  fine  a  morning  to  lose,  wdiere  there 
was  so  nmch  to  see,  the  whole  party  should 


goun  the  Itivct  to  the  ^ca. 


205 


irst. 

jugh 

she 

Is  it 
liere 
)uld 


drive  down  to  the  Fulls  of  the  Fraser,  tak- 
ing  Innclieon  with  them,  that  so  they  might 
not  have  to  hurry  back  until  tiie  time  when 
the  tliree  young  men  should  have  to  tear 
themselves  away  from  the  society  whicli,  to 
say  tlie  trutli,  they  were  all  reluctant  to 
leave, — in  order  to  take  the  steamer  down 
again  to  Tadousac  for  the  projected  canoe 
trip  on  the  upper  Saguenay,  and  so  on  to 
the  wilds  a])out  Lake  St.  John.  As  they 
were  to  go  in  cftRches^  however,  Mrs.  Sand- 
ford  begged  off,  and  Nellie  Armstrong  was 
packed  into  a  aiRche  with  her  brother  and 
Flora  Macnab — Jack,  who  was  familiar  with 
the  vehicle,  having  volunteered  to  act  as 
charioteer. 

It  was  a  charming  drive  on  sucli  a  charm- 
ing day, — the  light  cloud-shadows  chasing 
each  other  over  the  hills,  and  causing  be- 
witching effects  of  light  and  shade  on  the 
distant  liills.  Their  course  lay  along  tlie 
Murray  Hiver  for  some  distance,  past  the 
bridge  and  village,  then  back  among  the 
hills  beyond,  up  and  down  short  hills,  so 
abrupt  that  tlie  descent  was  often  like  to 
jerk  the  riders  olf  the  little  high  seats;  but 
Jack  assured  them  all,  in  his  cheery  voice, 


i* 


206         gown  the  ^xvtx  io  the  jlea, 

that  the  c<d(}c/io  was  at  once  the  easiest  and 
the  safest  vehicle  for  these  hills,  and  that 
every  French-Canadian  pony  knew  just  how 
to  hehave  on  such  roads,  if  only  his  driver 
gave  him  fair  play.  And  the  French  drivers 
of  the  other  caleches  smiled  and  declared 
that  it  was  "  shoost  as  de  shentleman  said." 
Kate  and  Mr.  Winthrop  had  of  course 
paired  off,  so  that  Hugh  and  May  went  to- 
gether, as  a  matter  of  course ;  but  Hugh  ab- 
stained from  the  slightest  reference  of  any 
kind  to  their  conversation  of  the  previous 
evening,  for  which  JNIay  felt  duly  grateful ; 
for  as  yet  his  declaration  seemed  to  her  an 
unreal  dream,  and  she  did  not  like  to  think 
about  it,  or  what  seemed  to  her,  a  mortify- 
ing mistake. 

As  they  left  the  road  altogether,  and 
struck  across  fields  with  the  utmost  reck- 
lessness about  taking  down  fences,  and 
driving  over  trackless  meadows,  they  could 
hear  the  distant  murmur  of  a  waterfall,  and 
soon  they  came  in  sight  of  a  small  river 
winding  its  way  to  the  gorge,  into  which  it 
speedily  disappeared.  Then  they  dismounted 
from  their  caliches,  and  sought  a  point  of 
view  from  which  they  could  best  see  this 


J\omx  the  Ittvct  to  the  .^tw. 


207 


and 
I'cck- 

and 
tould 

and 
river 
Ich  it 
inted 
iit  of 

this 


lovely  waterfall,  which  rushes  down,  not  in 
one  sheer  descent,  hut  in  several  lea[)s,  over 
the  hrown  rocks;  so  that  tlioy  could  stand, 
as  it  were,  part  of  the  way  down,  looking 
up  to  the  topmost  fall,  and  also  far  down  he- 
low  them,  w^here,  at  the  foot  of  it,  there  lay 
a  pretty  green,  level  point,  on  wliich  cows 
were  hrowsing  under  some  nohle  trees — as 
charming  a  pastoral  picture  as  could  be 
found. 

Flora  took  out  her  sketch-book  and  color- 
box,  and  set  to  w^ork  diligently  to  make  a 
few  rough  sketches  from  the  most  favorable 
points,  Jack  willingly  offering  his  services 
in  carrying  her  appliances  from  place  to 
place,  and  watching  the  progress  of  tlie 
sketches  with  an  intensity  of  interest  which 
W'as  slightly  embarrassing  to  the  artist  and 
somewhat  amusing  to  Nellie,  who  declared, 
to  Jack's  indignation,  that  she  had  never 
known  before  that  he  took  so  much  interest 
in  artistic  pursuits.  Jack,  however,  was  a 
most  amiable  critic,  ready  to  admire  gener- 
ously all  the  work  of  Flora's  nimble  fingers, 
each  sketch  being,  in  his  opinion,  "awfully 
pretty ; — you'd  know  it  anywhere !  "  IMean- 
time  the  rest  of  the  party  strolled  about, 


208         §own  i'ht  ^ivtx  to  the  ^ca. 


¥ 


finding  out  new  jioints  of  view,  iuul  oxplor- 
in<^  pretty  nooks,  till  it  was  time  to  set  out 
the  simple  luncheon  of  sandwiches,  cold 
fowl,  coffee,  and  l)lue})erry  pi(s  after  the  due 
discussion  of  which  it  was  necessary  to  set 
out  at  once  on  the  return  trij) — in  the  order 
in  which  they  had  come. 

When  they  drove  up  to  the  hotel  they 
were  met  by  the  intellij^ence  that  the  (Que- 
bec steamer  was  in  sight,  and  that  tliey 
must  drive  down  to  the  pier  at  once.  The 
young  men's  valises  were  quickly  thrown 
into  the  caliches,  and  they  all  drove  to  the 
pier,  to  find  the  big  white  steamboat  just  ap- 
proaching the  point.  There  Avas  a  hurried 
and,  truth  to  tell,  a  reluctant  leave-taking  on 
the  part  of  the  intending  voi/((f/eur,%  \\ho 
declared  that  they  would  be  sure  to  be  back 
in  about  a  week  ;  and  then  the  steamer  gnvc^ 
her  parting  whistle  and  they  were  off,  their 
waving  hats  and  handkerchiefs  being  soon 
lost  in  the  distance,  Hugh  had  just  said  to 
May,  in  a  low  tone,  at  parting, — keeping  her 
hand  for  a  few  seconds  closely  pressed  in 
his  own,  "Don't  forget  your  promise — or 
me — while  I  am  gone,"  and  May  had  replied 
only  by  a  smile,  from  which,  perhaps,  tears 


gauJtt  the  i^ivcr  to  the  jica. 


209 


tears 


were  not  very  far  away.  At  all  events, 
there  was  a  strange,  inexplieable  <fr/to  in 
her  heart,  as  the  four  girls  walked  slowly 
baek  to  the  hotel,  a  trifle  less  merrily  than 
was  their  wont. 

It  was  curious  indeed,  what  a  blank  there 
seemed  to  be,  now  that  three  out  of  their 
number  were  goue,  though  no  one  except 
3Irs.  Sandford  and  Nellie  were  willing 
to  admit  it  in  words.  As  for  May,  she 
could  not  help  feeling  that  she  missed  Hugh, 
in  particular,  at  every  turn  !  His  low-toned 
voice  and  slightly  Celtic  accentuation  seemed 
to  be  perpetually  in  her  ear,  and  every 
particular  charm  of  the  landscjipe  seemed 
to  recall  his  always  quick  appreciation  of 
such  beauty.  Some  occasion  on  which  she 
wanted  to  appeal  to  him  for  sympathy  or 
appreciation  was  constantly  turning  up; 
and  she  found  herself  perpetually  laying  u\) 
a  stock  of  things  about  which  she  wanted 
to  talk  to  him,  when  he  should  return.  She 
had  no  idea  how  nnicli  he  had  gradually  be- 
come a  part  of  her  life,  and  how  important 
his  ever-ready  sympathy  had  come  to  be, 
nntil  the  lack  of  that  sympathy  made  itself 
so  strongly  felt.    If  she  had  not  been  so 


270         §oxv\x  the  Jlivfv  io  the  feu. 


simply  iiiul  drejiniily  romiinlic,  so  free  from 
egoistic  self-consciousness,  she  would  never 
have  made  the  mistiike  she  had  done,  and, 
even  now  there  was  a  constant  stru;4\L;le 
between  the  instincts  of  her  heart  and  the 
power  of  the  hrndy-rooted  im[)ression.  Kate, 
who  had  divined  the  real  state  of  the  case,  but 
had  been  afraid  to  enlighten  her  cousin 
too  suddenly,  now  ventured  on  a  little  good- 
humored  chaffing  ;  but  with  great  and  praise- 
worthy caution.  Seeing  that  IVIay  sensi- 
tively shrank  from  the  subject,  she  soon 
desisted. 

Whatever  Kate's  own  sense  of  loss  may 
have  been  in  the  absence  of  Mr.  Winthro[), 
she  was  not  the  sort  of  girl  to  Jet  the  ab- 
sence of  the  three  young  men  take  away  all 
the  zest  of  the  pleasure  of  Murray  ]>ay.  She 
constituted  herself  the  leader  of  the  little 
paity,  and  the  four  girls  and  Mrs.  Sandford 
had  what  diey  all  voted  as  a  "  very  quiet, 
pleasant  time,"  in  w^liich  they  took  things 
easily  and  enjoyed  themselves  just  as  the 
fancy  seized  them.  They  strolled  abont  the 
beach  in  the  sunny  mornings,  wdiile  Flora 
sketched  the  vista  of  distant  hills,  and  a 
gentle  inquisitive  French  Canadian  would 


Jlauu  the  Jlivcv  U  the  j^a.         271 

come  up  to  look  respectfully  iit  the  sketch 
of  "JVIiideinoiselle,"  aiid  to  express  his  ad- 
iiiiraliou  of  "  the /'c^c/Z/^o' "  with  wliieh  she 
accomplished  the  task  of  coloring-,  evideutly 
an  inscrutable  mysteiy  to  him,  though  he 
declared  that  he  could  draw  "  in  cntijon.Hy 
Kate  and  Flora  occasionally  tried  a  dip  into 
the  cold  waters  of  the  bay,  but  their  expe- 
rience was  not  sulliciently  encouraging  to 
tempt  the  otlier  two,  and  IVIrs.  Sandford 
shook  her  head,  and  declared  that  she  con- 
sidered it  unsafe  for  any  of  them.  But  they 
enjoyed  watching  the  sturdy  cliildren  who 
daily  rushed  in  for  a  few  moments  and 
then  came  out  with  skins  as  red  as  h  )sters, 
laughing,  and  rosy,  and  ready  for  any  lumi- 
ber  of  races  on  the  beach  afterwards.  They 
went  to  inspect  the  neighboring  "Fresh 
Air"  establishment,  originated  by  a  benevo- 
lent lady  of  Montreal,  and  maintained  by 
private  beneficence,  where  a  number  of  con- 
valescents, old  and  young,  I'cceived  witliout 
r'^st,  the  benefit  of  the  pure  bracing  air  and 
lovely  scenery,  a  true  and  refr  >]iing  in- 
stance of  Christian  charity.  They  explored 
over  and  over  again  the  road  leading  past 
the  long  strips  of  farm  and  pasture  land 


•V 


272        Jown  the  llivcr  to  the  ^>a. 

which  run  up  the  hill  tliiit  overhung  it,  and 
tlio  lililc  I'^rciudi  fiirm-houses,  with  the  curi- 
ous cliiy  ovens  which  stood  near  them,  but 
quite  detached,  and  sometimes  on  the  other 
side  of  the  road,  and  which  Flora  was  so 
delighted  to  see  and  sketch;  and  the  long 
struggling  French  village,  and  the  little 
chapel  on  the  hill,  whicli  was  so  disappoint- 
ing on  a  near  ac(][uaintance.  Tliey  scraped 
acquaintance  with  the  simple  French  folk 
and  talked  to  the  polite  village  children, 
v/honi  they  met,  so  respectful  in  their  ad- 
dress, and  whom  Flora  delighted  by  includ- 
ing some  of  them  in  a  sketch  from  the 
bridge.  They  wandered  down  the  road  to  the 
l)ier,  between  the  rows  of  sunnuer  cottages, 
and  roamed  ai)(>ut  the  pretty  grounds  of  the 
"Lome  House,"  where  some  old  friends  of 
Kate's  were  staying,  and  lounged  away  an 
hour  or  so,  inspecting  the  little  Indian  huts 
and  booths  at  the  pier,  and  the  various 
wares  therein  disi)layed,  and  the  dark  im- 
passive faces  of  the  Indian  vendors,  and 
purchased  all  manner  of  little  souvenirs,  toy 
canoes,  snowshoes,  toboggans^  birch-bark 
napkin  rings  and  other  pretty  trifles,  as 
presents  for  the  people  at  home ;  while  Flora 


Iff 


goivu  the  3[Uvcv  to  the  ^ca.         273 


as 
flora 


sketched  the  curiously  sha[)ed  rock  whic'li 
has  so  often  stood  for  its  picture.  Or  tliey 
strolled  up  the  hillside  among  the  fragriuit 
spruce  and  cedar,  and  enjoyed  the  charm- 
ing views  from  thence  of  Cap-a-l'Aigie  and 
the  river  and  hay,  and  examined  the  primi- 
tive little  wooden  aqueducts  that  led  the 
water  from  springs  on  the  hill,  to  the  houses 
down  helow.  Everything  was  as  quaint  and 
primitive  as  Normandy,  Flora  declared,  ex- 
cept only  the  manners  and  dress  of  the  sum- 
mer visitors ! 

And  sometimes  they  went  on  little  canoe 
parties  with  those  friends  of  Kate's  at  the 
"  Lome  House,"  —  up  the  winding  Murray 
Kiver  under  the  bridge,  from  which  Flora 
took  a  pretty  sketch,  and  on  for  some  dis- 
tance farther,  picking  their  way  among  the 
brown  shallows  and  stones  which  narrowed 
the  navigable  water  of  the  stream.  Or  tliey 
would  drive  up  the  solitjiry  Quebec  road, 
among  its  aromatic  pine  woods,  and  ]>ast 
its  little  clearings,  with  their  patches  of  to- 
bacco and  maize  and  littie  log  cabins,  and 
the  [)eculiar  exhilarating  nroma  of  the  moun- 
tain air; — or  by  another  pretty  road  to  the 
picturesque  cascade  of  "  Les  Trous  "  beside 

m 


'1*1 


274        gouu  the  fsh'it  to  the  ^m. 

which  they  took  their  luncheon,  and  spent 
the  best  part  of  an  arieruoon.  And  so  the 
days  went  quickly  by — happily  enough,  and 
on  Saturday,  May  found  herself  realizing 
that  the  travellers  would  very  soon  be  back. 
Iliilf  a  dozen  other  expeditions  were  still 
reserved  for  the  last  few  days,  after  the 
party  should  be  reunited,  before  they  should 
leave  for  the  \V*^st.  But  these  plans,  like 
many  other  human  projects,  were  not  des- 
tined to  be  realized.  For  Monday  morning 
brought  INiay  a  letter,  containing  an  unex- 
pected summons  to  return  home  at  once,  as 
her  father  and  mother  were  called  away  by 
the  illness  of  a  relative,  and  her  presence  as 
eldest  daughter  was  needed  at  home.  Dearly 
as  May  loved  her  nome  and  ready  as  she 
was  to  comply  with  and  obey  the  summons, 
this  hastening  of  her  departui'p  from  Mur- 
ray Bay  was  a  gren t  disappointment,  in  more 
ways  than  one.  There  was,  however,  no 
boat  before  Tuesday  night,  and  as  M.  ;. 
»Sandford  had  begun  to  feel  anxious  herself 
to  return  home,  and  would  not  hear  of  let- 
ting May  go  back  alone,  it  was  finally  decided 
in  a  cabinet  council,  that  they  should  arrange 
to  take  their  departure  by  the  Tuesday's 


gawtt  the  giver  to  the  ^ea,         275 


as 


Iseli 

llet- 

ded 

|nge 


boat,  and  that,  in  case  the  young  men  had 
not  returned  by  that  time,  tliey  could  follow 
and  overtake  them  somewhere  on  the  way. 
May's  heart  had  sunk  more  than  she  could 
have  believed,  when  she  contemplated  the 
possibility  that  Hugh  might  return  and  find 
her  gone !  She  had  not  in  the  least  made 
up  her  mind  as  to  what  she  should  say  to 
him,  when  he  did  return,  and,  even  if  she 
herself  cared  ever  so  muuii,  she  could  not 
see  how  she  could  possibly  be  ever  separated 
from  her  home,  nor  indeed,  could  she  as  yet 
bear  to  think  of  that  aspect  of  the  affair. 
But  she  could  not  help  feeling  it  no  small 
trial  to  return  without  seeing  him  again ; 
apart  from  the  disappointment  that  she 
knew  it  would  be  to  him  should  he  return 
only  after  her  departure.  And  as  Mrs. 
Sandford  was  always  reminding  them,  so 
many  things  might  happen  to  detain  the 
voyageurs^  for  they  intended  to  find  their 
way  back  somehow,  by  land,  through  the 
wilds  that  lay  between  Murray  Bay  and 
Lake  St.  John. 

'i  hat  evening  she  could  not  settle  down 
with  the  others  on  the  veranda,  but  wan- 
dered down  alone  to  the  beach  and  took  her 


276         ^mn  i\it  %Vxm  to  the  ^ca. 


^^ 


seat  on  one  of  their  faArorite  rocks.  It  had 
been  a  day  of  thunder  showers  with  lovely 
bursts  of  sunshine  between,  and  some  of  the 
glorious  rainbows  so  frequent  there ;  and 
now,  after  a  golden  sunset,  breaking  through 
l)urple  clouds,  the  bright  tints  were  fading 
out  of  the  sky  and  from  the  great  gray 
sti'etch  of  water,  on  whose  breast  some 
stately  ships  were  gradually  disappearing 
from  view.  The  scene  vividly  recalled  to 
her  mind  Hugh's  parable  of  human  life, 
and  his  unexpected  application  of  it.  A 
sense  of  the  evanescence  of  all  beautiful 
things  and  all  human  enjoyments  had  taken 
hold  of  her,  and  the  tears  welled  up  in  her 
soft  gray  eyes  as  she  said  in  her  heart  a 
mute  farewell  to  the  lovely  scene  around 
her,  which  Had  so  fascinated  her,  and  her 
mind  went  wistfully  back  over  all  the  fair 
scenes  she  had  belu'ld  since  the  day  on  which 
she  had  set  out,  full  of  happy  anticipation. 
How  much  better  it  had  all  been  than  even 
her  brightest  antii'ijiations  !  A  vesper  spar- 
row— our  Canadian  nightingale — was  carol- 
ling sweetly  close  at  hand,  and  its  song 
seemed  to  bring  back  to  her  the  sweet 
refrain  of  the  old  song  : — 


Jowtt  the  giver  to  the  ^e«.         277 

*'  Sweet  the  lev' rock's  note,  an'  lang, — 
Wildly  liltin'  doiin  the  glen  ; — 
But,  to  me,  he  sings  ae  sang 
Will  ye  no  come  back  again  ? 


a 


)n. 

ten 

ir- 

lol- 

iet 


The  last  line  seemed  to  liiiunt  her  with 
an  indescribable  pathetic  intonation.  She 
rose  to  go  back  in  order  to  fight  oil'  thoughts 
that  were  too  much  for  her  when  lo !  a  famil- 
iar step  sounded  close  to  her,  and  a  well- 
known  voice  was  in  her  ear,  with  a  low- 
toned,  «  Well,  May  ?  " 

And  May,  startled  and  overjoyed,  could 
scarcely  exclaim, — "  Oh,  Hugh !  is  it  really 
you  ?  "  and  then,  for  all  answer  to  his  ques- 
tion, she  burst  into  tears.  Perhaps  this  was 
almost  answer  enough,  but  it  encouraged 
Hugh  to  go  on,  and  to  secure  a  still  better 
and  more  satisfying  one,  before  they  re- 
turned together  to  join  the  rest,  and  to  ex- 
change quiet  congratulations  and  a  little 
teasing  with  Kate,  whose  engagement  to 
Mr.  Winthrop  was  now  definitely  admitted. 
Jack  Armstrong  looked  very  wistful  and 
rather  envious  over  the  two  engaged  couples, 
but  the  merry  Flora  is  inscrutable,  and 
whether  his  warm  admiration  will  ever  be 


278        §0wn  i\tt  ^ivix  io  the  ^en. 


returned  is  still  a  matter  of  conjecture  to 
both  Kate  and  May. 

The  three  voyageurs  had  many  adventures 
to  relate  and  much  to  say  about  the  wild 
beauty  of  the  upper  Saguenay,  its  portages^ 
waterfalls,  tributary  streams,  and  especially 
about  the  solitary  beauty  of  the  lonely  Lake 
St.  John.  Hugh  declared  that  he  would  not 
have  missed  it  on  any  account,  and  that^  as 
he  remarked,  sotto  voce,  to  May,  was,  in 
the  circumstances,  saying  a  good  deal.  Mr. 
Winthrop  was  to  write  a  description  of  it 
for  an  American  periodical,  and  Jack  Arm- 
strong declared  it  would  give  enough  to  talk 
about,  and  excite  other  fellows  with  envy,  for 
the  next  year,  at  all  events. 

And  the  last  day  at  Murray  Bay,  was, 
after  all.  happier  than  May  in  her  lonely 
reverie  of  the  preceding  evening,  had  thought 
possible.  They  visited  several  of  their 
favorite  haunts  during  the  morning,  and  it 
was  wonderful  how  much  Hugh  and  May 
had  to  say  to  each  other, — said  Kate,  mis- 
chievously, careless  of  the  retort  that  "  Peo- 
ple who  lived  in  glass  houses  needn't  throw 
stones."  In  the  afternoon  they  took  a  long 
drive  along  the  Cap-a-PAigle  heights,  watch- 


Sown  the  Wiivtx  io  the  Jfea.         279 

ing  another  gorgeous  sunset  bathe  the  hills 
and  river  in  its  exquisite  dyes.     And  as 
these  once  more  faded  into  the  greyness  of 
twilight,  and  the  stars  gleamed  out,  and  the 
white  sails  of  a  large  vessel  that  had  caught 
the  last  -low  of  day,  became  dimly  spectral 
in  the  distance,  Hugh  whispered  to  May,  as 
they  turned  downwards,  and  away  from  the 
beautiful  scene  they  had  been  contemplating : 
"  And  now,  dearest,  what  can  we  desire 
better,  than  the  hope  of  the  long  voyage  to- 
gether down  the  great  river  to  the  silent 
sea?" 


THE  END. 


